AHP Style Guide for Equine Publications
A
“A” License USTA
“A” Tracks, “B” Tracks USTA
A, AA, AAA, AAAT, B
AAEP, American Association of Equine Practitioners
A-B-C racing USTA
AjPHA, American Junior Paint Horse Association
ACE – acetylpromazine
ACHA – American Cutting Horse Association
AFA – American Farriers Association
AHSA – American Horse Shows Association
AI – artificial insemination
ANHA – American Novice Horse Association, Cowboy Publishing Group
APHA, American Paint Horse Association
APHA Champion
APHA Youth Champion Award
APHA Superior All-Around-Horse Award
APHA Superior Event Horse Award
APHA Supreme Champion Award
APHA World Championship Show
ApHC, Appaloosa Horse Club
AQHA, American Quarter Horse Association
ASHA, American Saddlebred Horse Association
ATPC, American Team Penning Association
a half-mile track
a five-eighths-mile track
a three-quarter-mile track
Academy – Upper case when in a proper name (The Academy of Arts and Sciences). Lower
case on a second reference (the academy had a meeting). Avoid second references such as
“The Cleveland academy.”
accommodate
account wagering Betting by phone, in which a bettor must open an account with a track or
off-track agency. A euphemism for phone betting. Such systems should be identified as
telephone-account wagering in the first reference.
accoutrements
acknowledgment
acre – use numbers, 4-acre pasture
acey-deucy Uneven stirrups, popularized by Racing Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Arcaro, who
rode with his left (inside) iron lower than his right to achieve better balance on turns.
Acronyms Letters that take the place of words or phrases that are pronounced as words. For
instance, NYRA is an acceptable second reference for the New York Racing Association. See
abbreviations.
across the board A bet on a horse to win, place, and show. If the horse wins, the player
collects three ways; if second, two ways (place and show); and if third, one way (show).
action (n.) 1) A horse’s manner of moving. 2) A term meaning wagering. The horse took a lot
of action.
acupressure Utilizing stimulation on acupuncture points to treat an animal.
acupuncture A centuries-old therapy for treating an animal or human through the use of
needles, electrical current, or moxibustion (heat and herbs) to stimulate or realign the body’s
electrical fields.
added money (n.) Money added to the purse of a race by the racing association, a breeding
fund, or other source. The association’s money is added to the amount paid by owners in
nomination, eligibility, entry, and starting fees. The purse of the Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity
(G2) is $400,000 added. Added-money stakes became less common in the 1990s as more
tracks went to guaranteed purses.
added-money (adj.) The Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) is an added-money event.
added weight A horse carrying more weight than the conditions of the race require, usually
because the jockey exceeds the assigned weight. See overweight.
Adequan Brand name for polysulfated glycosaminoglycan, used in the treatment of certain
arthritic conditions.
Addresses – Use varies by publication. Some abbreviate street names and others do not.. SEE
STATES.
adviser Not advisor.
aficionado
affect versus effect Effect as a noun means result. Effect as a verb means to bring about or
accomplish. Affect means to influence. In practical use, effect is most often a noun, and affect
is almost always used as a verb.
afterward (no s)
age All Thoroughbreds born in the Northern Hemisphere celebrate their birthday on January 1.
For the Southern Hemisphere, the birthdays are as follows: South America, July 1; South
Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, August 1. Hyphenation of ages in text dependa upon the
use. He is two years old. He is a two-year-old. The two-yearold filly was purchased for
$35,000.
agent A person empowered to transact business for a stable owner or jockey, or empowered
to sell or buy horses for an owner or breeder. The phrase jockey’s agent is preferred over
jockey agent or jock’s agent.
aide/aid – An aide is a person who helps, but you can come to someone’s aid.
aisleway
aired Not running at best speed in a race; won particularly easily by open lengths.
airtight
aka Abbreviation for also known as; no periods, no spaces.
Ak-Sar-Ben Use historical spelling and punctuation for former racetrack in Omaha, Nebraska.
See Appendix A for correct names for racetracks.
a la carte
all-age race A race for two-year-olds and up.
all-around Capitalized only when part of a name of an award.
alleyway
allowances Reductions in weights to be carried, with the adjustments based on the conditions
of the race or because an apprentice jockey is on a horse. Also, a weight reduction that female
horses are entitled to when racing against males, or that three-year-olds receive against older
horses.
all out (adv.) When a horse extends itself to the utmost. all-out (adj.) The horse scored an
all-out victory.
all right (adv.) Never alright. Hyphenated only if used colloquially as a compound modifier. He
is an all-right guy.
all time (n.) Skip Away is the leading North American earner of all time. all-time (adj.) The
all-time leading earner.
Alongside
although – though can be substituted, but although should be used when starting a sentence;
however, no comma following although. Cowboy Publishing Group
also-eligible (n.) A horse officially entered for a race, but not permitted to start unless the
field is reduced by scratches below a specified number. Always hyphenated.
also-ran (n.) A horse that does not finish first, second, or third.
a.m. Lowercase with periods. See p.m.
American Championship Harness Series USTA
American Championship Racing Series Defunct series of races held from 1991 to ’93.
Conceived by Barry Weisbord, the ACRS consisted of a series of races for older horses run at a
number of tracks around the country. A bonus system based on total number of points earned
in each race based on finish position was paid to encourage participation and keep horses in
the events that were familiar to racing fans. All the races were televised on either the ABC
network or its sister cable network ESPN.
American Horse Council A national association of individuals, organizations, and companies
formed as a lobbying group to represent all breeds of the horse industry. Based in
Washington, D.C., the AHC works on tax regulations, import and export rules, disease
prevention and control, trails and recreation enhancement, and humane concerns. Begun in
1969, AHC was formed as an advocate of the entire American horse industry, though started
principally by Thoroughbred interests concerned about legislation that was being discussed in
Congress that would have negatively affected racing and breeding.
American-National USTA
American Paint Horse Association Headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas. Website is
www.apha.com.
American Quarter Horse Association Headquarters in Amarillo, Texas. Website is
www.aqha.com.
American Youth Horse Council (AYHC) Website is www.ayhc.com
American Stud Book Official book of foal registrations maintained by the Jockey Club.
amid
Amishman
among
ampersands Used only in abbreviations and firm names. Dow Jones & Co. It is not a catchall
substitute for the word “and.” and/or This phrase is frequently misused because in most cases
the meaning actually is one or the other. In a few cases, however, the sentence actually
means either of two possibilities or both of them. In those cases, however, a more elegant
construction than and/or is available. Under the state guidelines, the penalty for a clenbuterol
positive was a $1,000 fine, a 30-day suspension, or both.
anesthesia
angular limb deformity A limb that does not have correct conformation because of
developmental problems in the angles of the joints.
anhydrosis Inability to sweat in response to work output or increases in body temperature. A
horse with this condition is also known as a non-sweater. Most are athletic horses, though
frequently the condition appears in pastured horses not being ridden. Most commonly occurs
when both the temperature and humidity are high. Horses raised in temperate regions and
then transported to hot climates are most prone to develop the condition, but even acclimated
horses can be at risk. Clinical signs include inability to sweat, increased respiratory rate,
elevated body temperature, and decreased exercise tolerance. The condition sometimes can
be reversed if the horse is moved to a more temperate climate.
anterior Toward the front.
anterior enteritis Acute inflammation of the small intestine producing signs of abdominal
distress, such as colic and diarrhea.
anthelmintic
anti-inflammatory
antivenin
anxious The root of anxious is anxiety, and proper use of the word usually should be limited to
situations involving anxiety. In many cases, the proper word choice is eager. For instance, The
actor was anxious for the show to begin, but the audience was eager to see the opening
scene. The nervous filly was anxious behind the starting gate, but the champion was eager to
go to the lead on the backstretch.
any more
apical (fracture) See sesamoid bones.
apostrophes Indicates the possessive cases of nouns, omission of figures, and contractions.
I’ve, isn’t. Avoid the use of contractions in copy. Omission of figures—’90, ’90s, class of ’72.
The apostrophe use or lack thereof should follow the official name of group, institution,
locality. Prince of Wales’s Stakes, Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co., California Thoroughbred Breeders
Association, Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association. See abbreviations
(Days, years), contractions, dates, plurals, possessives, years.
Appaloosa
apprentice jockey Rider at the beginning of his career who has not ridden a certain number of
winners within a specified period of time. Also known as a bug rider, from the asterisk used in
racing programs and past performances to denote the weight allowance such riders receive.
apprentice allowance Weight concession given to an apprentice rider—usually ten pounds until
the fifth winner, seven pounds until the 35th winner, and five pounds for one calendar year
from the 35th winner. More rarely, a three-pound allowance is allowed to a rider under
contract to a specific stable or owner for two years from his or her first win. This rule varies
from state to state. Apprentices do not receive an allowance when riding in a stakes race. All
jockeys going from track to track must have a receipt from the clerk of scales from their track
verifying the jockey’s most recent total number of wins. Also known as a bug, from the
asterisk used in racing programs and past performances to denote the weight allowance.
apron The (usually) paved area between the grandstand and the racing surface.
Arabian Breed of horse is capitalized. Appaloosas, Quarter Horse, Morgan, Thoroughbred,
Standardbred. See breeds.
Arabic numerals See numbers.
Arizona Symposium on Racing
arthritis Inflammation of a joint. An increase in the amount of synovial fluid in the joint is a
result of this inflammation. Accumulation of synovial fluid in the fetlock joint is called a wind
puff or wind gall. In young horses, a swelling in the fetlock joint, particularly on the front of
the joint where the cannon and long pastern bones meet, is called a green osselet. This
swelling is a result of inflammation and reactive changes of the front edges of these two bones
and adjacent cartilage. If the green osselet does not heal, a chronic osselet might develop with
a permanent buildup of synovial fluid in the joint and inflammation and thickening of the joint
capsule over the damaged area with secondary bone changes following the initial
inflammation.
arthroscope A tiny tube containing a lens that is used for viewing areas inside a joint. Usually
attached to a small video camera.
arthroscopic surgery Utilizing an arthroscope to perform surgery, eliminating the need to open
the joint with a large incision to view the damaged area. signs include inability to sweat,
increased respiratory rate, elevated body temperature, and decreased exercise tolerance. The
condition sometimes can be reversed if the horse is moved to a more temperate climate.
Art Rooney Memorial USTA
articles The word the does not have to precede the names of organizations. Inclusion of the
will depend on use. If the sentence structure requires the word the, insert it. If it reads fine
without it, leave it out. The HBPA board of directors met today. NYRA executives met recently.
See acronyms, abbreviations.
article titles – Quotes, no italitcs
articles, omission of Frequently, writers will omit the article the from the beginning of a lead
sentence. Reason for his dismissal was flagrant absenteeism. This is case of old-time
journalese and is best avoided. If the word “the” at the beginning of a story is undesirable—
and it often is—the best tactic is to rewrite the sentence.
articular cartilage Cartilage that covers the ends of bones where they meet in a joint.
artificial breeding Includes artificial insemination or embryo transfer (transplants). Not
approved by the Jockey Club.
artwork
arytenoid cartilages Triangular cartilages in the upper part of the entrance to the larynx.
Movements of the arytenoid cartilages control the diameter of the laryngeal opening.
Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI) Formerly the National Association of
State Racing Commissioners (NASRC) before name change. Office based in Lexington. Use RCI
on second reference.
Ascarids
aside – aside from, not just aside Cowboy Publishing Group
ass
association – Capitalize as a formal name, but lower case on second reference. Correct
abbreviation is assn. On first reference, spell out association with acronym in parentheses.
Second reference can be just acronym.
asterisk Used with names of horses to denote they were imported to the United States.
Practice preceded the use of country codes starting on January 1, 1977. An asterisk is also
often used to denote an apprentice jockey is riding.
ataxia Loss or failure of muscular coordination.
at the three-quarters
at the five-eighths
at stud
at present – means now. “Presently” means in a little while or shortly. “At present” generally
the preferred usage. Cowboy Publishing Group
Atlantic City Race Course USTA
Atlantic Sires Stakes USTA
atrophy To waste away; usually used in describing muscles.
attorney, lawyer The words are not interchangeable. A lawyer is a person who has earned a
law degree and is practicing law. He or she becomes an attorney when representing someone.
Two proper uses—A tax lawyer, John Jones specialized in cases involving the Tax Reform Act
of 1986. Dean Sarvis’s attorney said he had appealed the Indiana suspension.
attribution A person being quoted directly must be identified by name as early as possible,
usually in a sentence preceding the quote or at the end of the first sentence of the quote. “The
horse will race tomorrow,” Smith said. Not, “The horse will race tomorrow. Next month we will
think of some other race,” he said. Not, “The horse will race tomorrow. Next month we will
think of some other race,” Smith said. Additionally, any time another person is quoted, the
new person must be identified by name within the next quote. Do not make the reader guess
who is talking.
audiovisual
Australian races In racecourse designations, the abbreviated name of the racing association is
denoted without periods. VRC Derby, AJC Derby.
autopsy – for a person; a horse has a necropsy USTA
auxiliary starting gate A second starting gate used when the number of horses in a race
exceeds the capacity of the main starting gate.
average earnings are USTA
average earnings index (AEI) A breeding statistic that compares racing earnings of a stallion
or mare’s foals to those of all other foals racing at that time. An AEI of 1.00 is considered
average, 2.00 is twice the average, 0.50 half the average, etc.
avermectin
awhile, a while Word “for” is implicit in awhile. He plans to stay awhile. He plans to stay for a
while.
AXCIS Information Network Inc. USTA
B
BBA, British Bloodstock Agency
BHB, British Horseracing Board
baby race A race for two-year-olds. Use should be limited to direct quotes. back at the knee A
leg that looks as though it has a backward arc, with its apex at –B– baby raceA race for twoyear-olds. Use should be limited to direct quotes.
baby-sit
back at the knee A leg that looks as though it has a backward arc, with its apex at the knee
when viewed from the side.
back seat
backstretch 1) Straight portion of the far side of the racing surface between the turns. 2)
Generally, a racetrack’s stable area, which often contains dormitories, a track kitchen, chapel,
and recreation area for stable employees. It gained its name because most stable areas are
located along the racetrack’s backstretch. The area also is known colloquially as backside, but
that use should be limited to direct quotations. To avoid confusion, stable area is the preferred
term. See also racetrack slang.
Backward Not backwards. back yard (n.) back-yard (adj.)
Bacteria A plural noun and requires a plural verb. The singular is bacterium. bad doer A horse
with a poor appetite, a condition that may be due to nervousness or other causes.
bald face
ballclub, ballpark, ballplayer, ballroom
banamine
bandana
Band-Aid Trademarked name for an adhesive bandage.
Bandage Bandages used on a horse’s legs are three to six inches wide and are made of a
variety of materials. In a race, they are used for support or protection against injury. Rundown
bandages are used during a race and usually have a pad under the fetlock to avoid injury due
to abrasion when the fetlocks sink toward the ground during the weight-bearing portion of the
canter. A horse may also wear standing bandages, thick cotton wraps used during shipping
and while in the stall to prevent swelling, injury, or both.
bankroll
barbecue (not bar-b-que)
barbed-wire
barn name
barn sour
barnyard
barren Used to describe a mare that was bred and did not conceive during the last breeding
season.
Barrier A starting device used in steeplechasing consisting of an elastic band stretched across
the racetrack; the elastic cords spring back when released. Also known as a tape.
barrel divisions – 1D not 1-D Cowboy Publishing Group
barrel racer
barrel times – no colon in front of time; not :14.58
bar shoe A horseshoe closed at the back to help support the frog and heel of the hoof. It is
often worn by horses with quarter cracks or bruised feet.
base The portion of the track that lies under the thick, top layer (see cushion). The base
provides support and drainage.
basilar (fracture) See sesamoid bones.
bat A jockey’s whip.
battery A term for an illegal electrical device used by a jockey to stimulate a horse by
electrical shock during a race. Also known as a machine or joint.
Battle of Saratoga USTA
bay A horse color that varies from a yellow-tan to a bright auburn. The mane, tail, and lower
portion of the legs are always black, except where white markings are present.
bearing in (or out) Deviating from a straight course. May be due to weariness, infirmity,
inexperience, or the rider overusing the whip or reins to make a horse alter its course.
bedroll
bell Signal sounded when the starter opens the gates or, at some tracks, to mark the close of
betting.
bell boots
bellwether A leader or trendsetter. In its original meaning, a bellwether is a sheep, usually
wearing a bell, that led the flock. It has nothing to do with good weather.
bellyband
Bereiter - Dressage Today, (rider)
Bereiteranwartev – Dressage Today, (student rider)
Berry’s Creek Pace Hoof Beats
between and among In general, between designates a relationship between two entities, and
among describes the relationship of three or more entities. For instance, The agreement
between Churchill Downs and the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association set aside
a percentage of simulcast wagering for purses. Or, An agreement among the nation’s
racetracks established a set rate for simulcasting signals. This is in accord with the AP
Stylebook. However, one of the 20th century’s pre-eminent arbiters of style, the late Theodore
Bernstein, maintained that between could be used for more than two entities if a strong
relationship exists. For instance, Bernstein would defend the sentence: The new contract
between Hollywood Park, Santa Anita Park, and the tracks’ suppliers was signed on July
15.While it is not incorrect among the nation’s racetracks established a set rate for
simulcasting signals. This is in accord with the AP Stylebook. However, one of the 20th
century’s pre-eminent arbiters of style, the late Theodore Bernstein, maintained that between
could be used for more than two entities if a strong relationship exists. For instance, Bernstein
would defend the sentence: The new contract between Hollywood Park, Santa Anita Park, and
the tracks’ suppliers was signed on July 15.While it is not incorrect to use between in this or a
similar to the relationship of two entities.
Beyer number A handicapping tool, popularized by author Andrew Beyer, assigning a
numerical value (speed figure) to each race run by a horse based on final time and track
condition. This enables different horses running at different racetracks to be objectively
compared. Because the Beyer number is a handicapping tool, we do not refer to Beyer figures
in race reports. If the race was worthy of a high Beyer number, then the circumstances of the
race will clearly reveal why the race was noteBeyer number A handicapping tool, popularized
by author Andrew Beyer, assigning a numerical value (speed figure) to each race run by a
horse based on final time and track condition. This enables different horses running at
different racetracks to be objectively compared. Because the Beyer number is a handicapping
tool, we do not refer to Beyer figures in race reports. If the race was worthy of a high Beyer
number, then the circumstances of the race will clearly reveal why the race was noteworthy.
bid in The act of buying back a horse that does not meet the reserve at public auction. See
buy-back, reserve not attained, RNA.
bid spotter Two words.
Big Red Refers to either of two famous chestnut-colored horses: Man o’ War or Secretariat.
billions, millions Hyphenated when word replaces Arabic numbers. 7,000,000,000 becomes 7billion. Do not go beyond two decimals. 1.35-billion people. Billion in Britain is the equivalent
of a trillion in the United States. See numbers.
Bill Daly (on the) Taking a horse to the front at the start of a race and remaining there to the
finish. Term stems from “Father Bill” Daly, a famous old-time horseman who developed many
great jockeys.
Billy Haughton “Good Guy” Award USTA
bio-tech
bimonthly/semimonthly – Bimonthly means occurring every two months. Semimonthly means
twice a month. Also applies to biweekly, semiweekly, biennially, semiannually.
Birthdays All Thoroughbreds born in the Northern Hemisphere celebrate their birthday on
January 1. For the Southern Hemisphere, the birthdays are as follows: South America, July 1;
South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, August 1.
bit A stainless steel, rubber, or aluminum bar attached to the bridle; it is placed in the bar, the
space between front and back teeth in the horse’s mouth and is one of the means by which a
jockey exerts guidance and control. The most common racing bit is the D-bit, named because
the rings extending from the bar are shaped like the letter D. Most racing bits are snaffled
(snaffle bit), which means the metal bar is made up of two pieces, connected in the middle,
which leaves it free to swivel. Other bits may be used to correct specific problems, such as
bearing in or out.
bitmaker
bitmaking
black A horse color that includes the muzzle, flanks, mane, tail, and legs, unless white
markings are present.
Black-Eyed Susan The name of the stakes race at Pimlico Race Course.
black-eyed Susan The name of the flower.
Blacksmith A horseshoer who also works with metals. A farrier works with horses’ feet. Not
interchangeable with farrier. Some blacksmiths might be farriers, but farriers are not
blacksmiths.
black type Boldface type, used in sales catalogs and stakes shells, to distinguish horses that
have won or placed in a stakes race. Sales companies today have eliminated the use of black
type for stakes below a certain monetary level—$15,000 in 1985; $20,000 from 1986-’89;
$25,000 beginning in 1990; and $30,000 beginning in 2002. If a horse’s name appears in
boldface capital letters in a catalog or stakes shell, the horse has won at least one black-type
event. If the name appears in boldface type with capital and lower-case letters, the horse was
second or third in at least one black-type event. Black type was awarded to fourth-place
finishers in graded races before January 1, 1990. THOROUGHBRED TIMES in its stakes shells
uses black type for any added-money winner regardless of size of purse and does not follow
catalog standards.
black-box testing USTA
black type (n.) He earned black type for the first time with his victory in the Stymie Handicap.
black-type (adj.) He was a black-type performer.
black type committee on pedigrees USTA
black type standards USTA
bleeder A horse that bleeds within its lungs when small capillaries that surround the lungs’ air
sacs (alveoli) rupture. The veterinary term is exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. Blood
may be seen coming out of the horse’s nostrils, known as epistaxis, although it is typically
discovered by an examination using a fiber optic endoscope examination after exercise or
racing. Hot, humid weather and cold conditions are known to exacerbate the problem. The
most common preventative treatment currently available is the use of the diuretic furosemide
(Salix). Less than one bleeder in 20 shows signs of epistaxis.
blind switch A circumstance in which a rider’s actions cause him to be impeded during a race
when moving into a space in which he finds himself blocked.
blinkers A cup-shaped device to limit a horse’s vision and thus prevent it from swerving from
objects or other horses on either side while racing. Blinker cups come in a variety of sizes and
shapes to allow as little or as much vision as the trainer feels is necessary and may be
attached to a hood or bridle.
blister Counterirritant causing acute inflammation used to increase blood supply and blood
flow and to promote healing in the leg.
Bloodline
blood horse
bloodstock Horses of Thoroughbred breeding, especially such horses used for or considered in
relation to racing.
bloodstock agent A person who advises or represents a buyer or seller of Thoroughbreds at a
public auction or a private sale. A bloodstock agent usually works on commission, often 5% of
the purchase or sale price, and can also prepare a horse for sale.
blood type (n.) blood-type (adj. and v.) Blood-type and blood-typing.
blood-typing A way to verify a horse’s parentage. Blood-typing is usually completed within the
first year of a horse’s life and is necessary before registration papers will be issued by the
Jockey Club. Thoroughbred Times
USTA Blood Typing Department USTA
blowout (n.) A short, timed workout, usually a day or two before a race, designed to sharpen
a horse’s speed. Usually three-eighths or one-half of a mile in distance.
blow out (v.) He will blow out a quarter-mile before the race. blue roan
Bluegrass (USTA races)
Bluegrass-Meadow Lands Farm 2-year-old colt pace
Bluegrass-Cane Run Farm 2-year-old filly pace
Bluegrass-Walnut Hall Cup 2-year-old colt trot
Bluegrass-Johnston Memorial 2-year-old filly trot
Bluegrass-Walnut Hall Farm 3-year-old colt pace
Bluegrass-Cuddy Farms 3-year-old filly pace
Bluegrass-Transylvania 3-year-old colt trot
Bluegrass-Dunroven Stud 3-year-old filly trot
Bluegrass Capitalize when describing the Central Kentucky region and specifically Fayette
County and contiguous counties.
bluegrass (lowercase) Any of a large genus (Poa) of temperate and arctic forage grasses
found in Central Kentucky and elsewhere.
Blue Grass Stakes Graded race conducted at Keeneland Race Course.
blue hen Lowercase. Used to describe a great broodmare, producer of a number of stakes
winners and whose daughters, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters in turn produced
important winners.
board Short for tote board, on which odds, betting pools, and other information are displayed.
Blue Ribbon Fair Award USTA
board – Lower case unless part of a proper name. (The Ohio State Medical Board voted
against an increase, but the board later reneged on its promise.)
board of directors
boat race Slang for a fixed race.
bobble A bad step away from the starting gate, usually caused by the track surface breaking
away from under a horse’s hooves, causing it to duck its head or nearly go to its knees.
bobblehead doll
bog spavin A filling with excess synovial fluid of the largest joint of the hock, called the
tarsocrual joint.
bolas
bolt Sudden veering from a straight course, usually to the outside rail.
bomb(er) A winning horse sent off at extremely high odds.
bone graft Using bone taken from one part of the body to promote formation of bone in
another region.
bone spavin Arthritis of the hock joint. A bone spavin that has progressed to the point that the
arthritis can be seen externally is called a Jack spavin.
book 1) The group of mares being bred to a stallion in a given year. If a stallion attracts the
maximum number of mares allowed by the farm manager, he has a full book. 2) A term used
to describe a jockey’s riding commitments with his agent. An agent handles a jockey’s book.
book titles – generally italicized
bookie Short for bookmaker.
bookmaker A person who books bets.
Bootmaker
Boots And Saddles Series USTA
Bosal
both – often unnecessary Cowboy Publishing Group
bots
Bottom 1) Stamina in a horse. 2) Subsurface of a racing strip.
bottom line A Thoroughbred’s breeding on the female side, most specifically applied to the
tail-female line listed on the bottom of a standard pedigree diagram.
Bounce A poor race run immediately after a career-best or near-best performance.
bowed tendon A type of tendinitis. The most common injury to the tendon is a strain or bowed
tendon, so named because of the appearance of a bow shape due to swelling. The most
common site of injury is in the superficial flexor tendon between the knee and the ankle.
Despite aggressive treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy, and rest, horses
commonly reinjure the tendon when they return to strenuous training. Two surgeries are felt
to aid horses to come back to racing: tendon splitting at the lesion site to release accumulated
fluid and blood, and superior check ligament desmotomy. The latter surgery is designed to
reduce forces on the tendon when the horse returns to training and racing. In the mid-1990s,
an alternative therapy involving injection of beta-aminopropionitrile fumarate (BAPN-F)
directly into the tendon was refined.
Box 1) A wagering term denoting a combination bet whereby all possible numeric
combinations are covered for certain horses. 2) A disadvantageous position in a race, behind
and between horses.
boxed (in) To be trapped between, behind, or inside of other horses.
brace (or bracer) Rubdown liniment used on a horse after a race or workout.
Brackets 1)Used for parenthetical material that is already inside parentheses. Saratoga Special
winner Tarboosh (sire of Just a Game [Ire], champion turf filly or mare of 1980). 2) Used to
insert editorial note, clarification, or information into a quote or verbatim excerpt to denote
the added material is not part of the original and/or replaces missing words. “I saw [Point
Given] on the outside, and he looked strong,” Pat Day said. [Jockey] Tod Sloan returned to
riding this week in England. 3) As an editor’s note: [Editor’s Note: The case never went to
court.]
braidwork
bran
brand name
brand new – Something is brand new, but it’s a brand-new bike.
break (a horse) 1) To train a young horse to wear a bridle and saddle, carry a rider, and
respond to a rider’s commands. Almost always done when the horse is a yearling. 2) To leave
from the starting gate.
breakage In pari-mutuel payoffs, which are rounded down to a nickel or dime, the pennies
that are left over. Breakage may be used for any of a number of purposes. Depending upon a
state’s rules of racing, the money goes to the state, the track, purses, or benevolence
programs.
breakdown When a horse suffers a potentially career-ending injury, usually to the leg. The
horse suffered a breakdown. The horse broke down.
break (or broke) maiden Term describing when a horse or rider wins the first race of its
career. This phrase borders on racetrack jargon and should be avoided.
breast collar
breather Easing off on a horse for a short distance in a race to permit it to conserve or renew
its strength.
bred 1) A horse is considered to have been bred in the state or country of its birth. Secretariat
was a Virginia-bred. 2) The past tense of breed.
breeder Owner of the dam at time of foaling unless the dam was under a lease or foal sharing
arrangement at the time of foaling. In that case, the person(s) specified by the terms of the
agreement is (are) the breeder(s) of the foal.
breed-back rule Restriction imposed in some jurisdictions that for a mare’s offspring to be
eligible for state-bred bonuses, the mare, after foaling, must be bred to a stallion standing in
that state.
breeder/owner USTA
Breeders Crown USTA races
Breeders Crown Open Pace
Breeders Crown Mare Pace
Breeders Crown Open Trot
Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships Thoroughbred racing’s yearend
championship consists of races conducted on one day at one of several major North American
racetracks each year. The Breeders’ Cup concept was developed by Lexington breeder John R.
Gaines. The first Breeders’ Cup races were run in 1984 at Hollywood Park in Inglewood,
California. Breeders’ Cup day now comprises eight races totaling $14-million: $2-million
Breeders’ Cup Distaff, for three-year-olds and older, fillies and mares, at 1 1⁄ 8 miles; $1million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, for two-year-old fillies at 1 1⁄ 16miles; $1-million
Breeders’ Cup Mile, for three-year-olds and older at one mile on turf; $1.5-million Breeders’
Cup Sprint, for three-year-olds and older at six furlongs; $1-million Breeders’ Cup Filly and
Mare Turf, for fillies and mares at 1 1⁄ 4 miles on turf; $1-million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, for
two-year-olds at 1 1⁄ 16miles; $2-million Breeders’ Cup Turf, for three-year-olds and older at
1 1⁄ 2miles on turf; $4-million Breeders’ Cup Classic, for three-year-olds and older at 1 1⁄ 4
miles. The Classic was raised to $4-million from $3-million beginning with the 1996 running at
Woodbine racetrack; the Distaff was increased from $1-million to $2-million in 1998; the Mile
and Juvenile were raised from $1-million to $1.5-million for 2003. The Filly and Mare Turf was
added for 1999. The distances of some of the races have been changed over the years,
sometimes due to the configuration of the host track. The Breeders’ Cup Steeplechase was run
from 1986 through ’93 and resumed in 2000. Breeders’ Cup Ltd. also contributes funds to
existing races, and each of those races has Breeders’ Cup as part of its name, such as the
Gamely Breeders’ Cup Handicap (G1).
Breeders’ Cup USTA
Breeders’ Cup Race names stand alone without the word Stakes following Breeders’ Cup
Sprint; not Breeders’ Cup Sprint Stakes or Sprint alone (but Sprint alone is acceptable on
second reference). Use full name; do not shorten to Cup.
Breeders’ Cup day Annual day of eight championship races.
Breeders’ Cup Ltd. Corporate entity that oversees the Breeders’ Cup program. It is a not-forprofit organization with its office in Lexington.
Breeders’ Cup preview day Series of races held at Belmont Park in the fall preceding Breeders’
Cup day itself.
Breeders Trust APHA
breeding fund A state fund set up to provide bonuses for state-breds.
breeding right The right to breed one mare per year to a specific stallion. Breeding rights, as
opposed to stallion shares, do not usually come with bonuses (money derived from extra
seasons sold), nor are they assessed expenses.
breeds Capitalize names of horse breeds. Thoroughbred, Arabian, Quarter Horse. For breeds
not listed, capitalize words derived from proper nouns; use lowercase elsewhere, basset
hound, Boston terrier.
Breeding Stock, breeding stock – Capitalized when referring to APHA’s Breeding Stock
registry, lowercase otherwise.
breeze (breezing) Working a horse at a moderate speed, less effort than handily.
bridge jumper A person who wagers large amounts of money, usually on short-priced horses
to show, hoping to realize a small but almost certain profit. The term comes from the structure
these bettors may seek if they lose.
bridle A piece of equipment, usually made of leather or nylon, that fits on a horse’s head;
other equipment, such as a bit and the reins, are attached to it.
bridlepath
bring, take The word bring implies that the travel is in the direction of the writer. Thus, the
sentence, “He plans to bring his horse to Philadelphia Park,” would be correct only if written in
Bensalem, Pennsylvania. The sentence should read, He plans to take his horse to Philadelphia
Park.
British Bloodstock Agency On second reference to British Bloodstock Agency (England) or
British Bloodstock Agency (Ireland), acceptable acronym is BBA, with no periods after each
letter. BBA (Ireland). Always spell out in first reference.
Broke
broken wind Abnormality of the upper or lower respiratory tract causing loss of normal air
exchange, generally resulting in reduced performance.
Bronchodilator A drug that widens the airways in the lungs to improve breathing and to relieve
muscle contraction or buildup of mucus.
Broodmare A mare that has been bred and is used to produce foals.
broodmare sire The maternal sire; the sire of the dam.
Broodmare Sire Index The Broodmare Sire Index is an average of the Racing Index (RI) of all
foals out of the sire’s daughters that started at least three times. For BSI to be calculated, a
broodmare sire must be represented by a minimum of 75 starters lifetime. See Racing Index,
Sire Index.
Broodmare of the Year Initial caps to denote only the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and
Breeders Broodmare of the Year. All other state breeders’ organizations’ top broodmares are
lowercase. See Horse of the Year.
bronze medallion –ApHC, lower case
broodmare
browband
brown
brush 1) During a race, two horses who slightly touch each other. 2) Injury that occurs when
one hoof strikes the inside of the opposite limb. 3) A type of obstacle used in brush1) During a
race, two horses who slightly touch each other. 2) Injury that occurs when one hoof strikes
the inside of the opposite limb. 3) A type of obstacle used in steeplechase racing.
buckaroo
buckboard
bucked shins Inflammation of the covering of the bone (periosteum) of the front surface of the
cannon bone to which young horses are particularly susceptible. This is primarily a condition of
the front legs.
buck-kneed
buckskin
Budweiser Beacon Course USTA race
bug See apprentice allowance.
bug boy See apprentice rider.
build-up
bulbs (of the heel) The two areas on either side of the back of the foot, similar to the heel of
the hand.
bullets(•) Used in editorial copy and charts to highlight closely related material. The bullet
should follow either a colon or an ending period. Bulleted items most commonly are separated
by semicolons; the next-to-last item has a word “and.” Initial word of each bulleted item is
capitalized.
bullet (work) The best workout time for a particular distance on a given day at a track.
Derived from the printer’s bullet that precedes the time of the workout in listings. Also known
as a black-letter work in some parts of the country.
bullhide
bull rider
bullring A small racetrack, usually less than one mile in circumference. burn(ed) See run
down. Commonly used in the term burned heels.
bunkhouse
bursa A sac containing synovial fluid (a natural lubricant). The purpose is to pad or cushion
and thus facilitate motion between soft tissue and bone, most commonly where tendons pass
over bones.
bursitis Inflammation in a bursa that results in swelling due to accumulation of synovial fluid.
Capped elbow is inflammation of the bursa over the point of elbow (olecranon process of the
ulna). Capped hock is inflammation of the bursa over the point of the hock (tuber calcis).
bus, bused, busing
businessman, businesswoman, business people
Bute Short for generic phenylbutazone, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication that is
legal in many racing jurisdictions. Often known by the trade names Butazolidinand Butazone.
Butazolidin Proper noun, as is Bute; lowercase phenylbutazone.
buy-back A horse put through a public auction that fails to reach a minimum (reserve) price
set by the consignor and so was retained. The consignor must pay a fee to the auction
company based on a percentage of the reserve to cover the auction company’s marketing,
advertising, and other costs. A synonym for reserve not attained (RNA). See bid in, reserve
not attained, RNA.
buzzword
B.V.M.S. Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery.
B.V.Sc. Bachelor of Veterinary Science.
by, sired by – (stallion or stallion’s name) out of (mare or mare’s name)
bylaws – OQHA Bylaws are capitalized because it refers to an official document. On generic or
second references, lowercase. (The society altered its bylaws as ordered.)
byproduct
C
C.K.G. Billings Amateur Driving Championship Series USTA
CRI – Concours de Reining International, International Reining Competition
CRI-A – Category A has guaranteed prize money of CHF 15,000 or more ($10,00 USD)
CRI-B – Category B has guranteed prize money of CHF 14,999 or less
CRIO – Concours de Reining International Official International Team and Individual Reining
Competition
Cadre Noir – Dressage Today
cakewalk
Racing at Cal-Expo, not Cal-Expo USTA
California Sire Stakes USTA race
calk A projection on the heels of a horseshoe, similar to a cleat, on the rear shoes of a horse
to prevent slipping, especially on a wet track. Also known as a sticker. (Calk is preferred
spelling over caulk.)
(race) call Running position of horses in a race at various points.
camaraderie
Camas Prairie stump race – ApHC, capitalize name, not event.
campfire
campsite
camouflage
Canada Canadian provinces and territories are Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New
Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec,
Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon Territory, and Nunavut Territory (eastern
Canadian Arctic). With the exception of Nunavut, whose government was formed in 1999 and
whose population is 85% Inuit, the Canadian provinces are well-known to our readers.
Therefore, it is neither necessary nor desirable to use the word Canada when identifying a
Canadian province. Correct usage: David S. Willmot is a leading Ontario breeder. The track is
located in Saskatchewan.
Canadian graded stakes Effective in 1999, Canada left the North American Graded Stakes
Committee (thereafter the American Graded Stakes Committee) and began to assign its own
stakes gradings. Graded stakes in 1998 and earlier do not carry a country designation, such as
the 1997 Canadian International Stakes (G1). Canadian graded races in 1999 and thereafter
require a country designation. 2000 E. P. Taylor Stakes (Can-G1).
cancelled
cannon bone The third metacarpal (front leg) or metatarsal (rear leg), also referred to as the
shin bone. The largest bone between the knee and ankle joints.
canter
canter depart Dressage Today
capillary refill time The amount of time it takes for blood to return to capillaries after it has
been forced out, normally two seconds; usually assessed by pressing the thumb against the
horse’s gums. When the pressure is removed, the gum looks white but the normal pink color
returns as blood flows into the capillaries.
capital City where the seat of government is located. See capitol. Capitol
capitalization In general, avoid unnecessary capitalization. Use a capital letter only under the
following guidelines. Also refer to other sections, such as Thoroughbred names, to find other
rules governing capitalization.
NAMES: Capitalization of names should follow the use of preference of the person. In
general, foreign articles are lowercase when used with a foreign name, initials, or title.
Allaire duPont, Charles de Gaulle, Gen. de Gaulle.Capitalize only at the start of a sentence.
De Kwiatkowski bought Calumet Farm. Capitalize names of familial relationships only when
used as a proper noun. Joe cried when Dad died. My dad was a horseplayer. Capitalize
trade names and trademark names. Xerox. Capitalize names of races. Caucasian, Native
American. Both black and AfricanAmerican are acceptable for those of African descent.
Capitalize common nouns as part of formal names. Hoover Dam, Missouri River, Bourbon
County Courthouse, Empire State Building, Blue Room, Wall Street, Hollywood Boulevard.
PERSONAL TITLES: Uppercase titles when they precede a name (but not descriptions such
as trainer, foreman, defense attorney, or farm manager). Lowercase after the name.
President Joe De Francis,but Joe De Francis, president. Lowercase titles standing alone or
following a name. Exception—The incumbent President of the United States is always
capitalized. Uppercase titles of authority before name, but lowercase standing alone or
following a name. Ambassador John Jones, but Jones, ambassador; the ambassador.
Lowercase occupational or false titles, such as day laborer John Jones, assistant trainer Bill
Wills, defense attorney Dick Smith. Steward is treated as a title.
TITLES: Capitalize full titles. New York State Racing and Wagering Board. Lowercase
wagering board, commission, etc., standing alone. Capitalize titles of books, plays, hymns,
poems, songs, etc., and either italicize or place in quotation marks. See italics, quotation
marks, titles.
GENERAL: Capitalize first word of a quotation making a complete sentence after a comma
or colon. Franklin said, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” Capitalize U.S. Congress,
Senate, House, Legislature, or Cabinet with or without a state name if a specific reference
is clear. The Kansas Legislature. Lowercase legislature in all generic and plural references.
No legislature has approved the amendment.See legislature. Capitalize committee in full
names. Senate Judiciary Committee, House Ways and Means Committee. Lowercase
subcommittee in titles and standing alone, also committee standing alone.
HORSE RACING: Capitalize the word grade when referring to a specific grade or group of
race. The Grade 1 Secretariat, the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes. The letter is “G” in grades
which follow race names is always capitalized. Examples: (G1), (G2), (G3), (Eng-G1), etc.
Capitalize breeds of horses. Thoroughbred, Arabian, Standardbred, Quarter Horse.
Capitalize Turf as an adjective or noun referring to Thoroughbred racing in general.
POLITICAL: Capitalize ideological or political areas. Russia, North Korea, the United Arab
Emirates, Dubai. Capitalize political parties and members. Democrat, Democratic Party,
Republican Party. Lowercase democratic form of government, republican system,
socialism, Capitalize political parties and members. Democrat, Democratic Party,
Republican Party. Lowercase democratic form of government, republican system,
socialism, communism, etc.
RELIGIOUS: Capitalize Deity and He, His, Him denoting Deity, but not who, whose, whom.
In most cases, these references should be limited to direct quotations. Many religious
denominations have adopted gender-neutral liturgy that does not contain references to
God as He or Him. Capitalize Satan and Hades but not devil and hell.
See breeds, graded race, group race, Northern Hemisphere, organizations, regions,
Thoroughbred names, Turf, Southern Hemisphere.
capitol Building that houses the seat of government. See capital.
capped elbow Inflammation of the bursa over the point of the elbow. Also known as a shoe
boil. See bursitis.
capped hock Inflammation of the bursa over the point of the hock. See bursitis.
carpus A joint in the horse’s front leg, more commonly referred to as the knee.
carry-over (n. and adj.)
Caslick’s Procedure known as Caslick’s repair, developed by E. A. Caslick, D.V.M., in the late
1920s and commonly used in broodmares. Veterinarian sutures the top part of a mare’s vulvar
lips together to prevent fecal matter from being sucked into the vulva.
cast A horse positioned on its side or back and wedged against a wall in such a way that it
cannot get up.
castoff
CAT scan
catalog, cataloged, cataloging Not catalogue.
Catch-22
catch-driver USTA
catch phrase
catchword, catchwords
cattleman
cavalletti, cavaletti – varies by publication
caudal Toward the tail.
caulks
cavesson
CDI/CDI-W – Dressage Today
CD-ROM Abbreviation for compact disc, read only memory.
CEM Acceptable abbreviation for contagious equine metritis on second reference. See
contagious equine metritis.
cell phone
center As a verb, does not take the preposition around. The negotiations centered on the
division of simulcast income.
center of distribution (CD) A formula derived from the dosage profile and a similar attempt to
quantify speed and stamina. Abbreviate as CD on second reference. Center of distribution is a
calculation derived from the dosageprofile. Theoretically, as with Dosage Index (DI), the
higher the CD, the lower a horse’s distance potential. Average CD in this country is +.70.
Apple Tree (Fr)—winner of three 1 1⁄ 2-mile Grade/Group 1 events in three countries in 1993’94—has a CD of –.20. Man o’ War apparently could have run all day and into the night with a
–1.17 CD. Conversely, Secretariat’s CD of +.90 was above average—yet he was arguably the
most eminently capable runner at up to 1 1⁄ 2 miles that this country has seen in decades. As
with almost any man-made, theoretical tool, caution must be taken. The late author/breeder
Abram Hewitt, who embraced dosage, issued a warning years ago when he wrote, “By
definition, dosage studies are restricted to ‘chefs-de-race,’ and all other mares and sires are
excluded from consideration. Some of these exclusions may play an important part in the
inheritance of an animal ... and excluding them could prove in some cases misleading. To this
extent, handling dosage becomes as much an art as it does a science.” See Dosage Index,
Dosage Profile.
centerline
century Lowercase, spelling out numbers less than 11. the first century, the 20th century. For
proper names, follow organization’s practice. 20th Century Fox, Twentieth Century Fund.
CEO
chair, chaired This is a back formation—a noun being turned into a verb—and should not be
used. Also, the individual heading a committee or organization is not the chair.
chalk Wagering favorite in a race. Term dates from the days when on-track bookmakers would
write current odds on a chalkboard.
chalkplayer Bettor who wagers on favorites.
Challenge of Champions driving tournament at Freehold Raceway USTA
championship, title – use of both is redundant. Specific titles are capitalized, World
Championship, lower case if general usage. Cowboy Publishing Group
Champion Horse or individual determined to be the outstanding performer in his or her
division in a specific year. In the United States, champions are determined by voting in the
Eclipse Awards balloting. Highweights in Europe are not called champions. See Eclipse Award,
highweights.
Foreign champions: Equineline carries champions from foreign countries according to
information received from racing authorities in those countries. It is THOROUGHBRED TIMES
policy to accept all of those champions as valid. However, when detailing the record of a sire
or dam, not all foreign champions are created equal, since the class of racing in, for example,
Barbados, is not on the same level as in England, for example. Therefore, it is not appropriate
to list champions in those countries ahead of graded stakes winners in North America or other
major racing countries. It is impossible to lay out hard and fast rules, but here are some
guidelines for these situations. Please see the list below of major racing countries. List major
racing country champions first. Within champions, U.S. champions come first. Within U.S.
champions (or other country’s champions as well), Horse of the Year outranks other
championships. Grade/Group 1 winners come next, followed by other graded stakes winners.
Rank by money within grades. Finally non-graded winners ranked by money. Remember that
Equineline printouts by stakes rules do not correctly reflect International Cataloging Standards
rules for all countries. For example, very few of the Japanese races listed as group races on
Equineline printouts should be carried as group races in THOROUGHBRED TIMES. Only
group/graded races from countries in the “white pages” of Cataloging Standards carry that
designation, except for a very small number from “blue pages” countries (such as the Japan
Cup [Jpn-G1]) collected on a single page near the end of the white pages section. Major
racing countries: United States, Canada, England, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Australia,
New Zealand, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa
Chart A statistical picture of a race (from which past performances are compiled) showing the
position and margin of each horse at designated points of call (depending on the distance of
the race), as well as the horses’ age, weight carried, owner, trainer, jockey, and the race’s
purse, conditions, payoff prices, odds, time, and other data. Before 1991, all charts were
compiled by Daily Racing Form. From 1991 to ’98, charts were compiled by both Daily Racing
Formand Equibase; since mid-1998, charts have been compiled exclusively by Equibase.
chaps
Charolais
chartcaller
check(ed) When a jockey slows a horse due to other horses impeding its progress.
check list
checkrein
Chef d’Equipe
chef-de-race Italicized. A list of superior sires used in the dosage formula. Pronounced “chef
de RAH.” Plural: chefs-de-race.
cheekpiece – Dressage Today
chestnut 1) A horse color that may vary from a red-yellow to golden-yellow. The mane, tail,
and legs are usually variations of coat color, except where white markings are present. 2)
Horny, irregular growths found on the inside of the legs. On the forelegs, they are just above
the knees. On the hind legs, they are just below the hocks. No two horses have been found to
have the same chestnuts, and so chestnuts may be used for identification. Also called night
eyes
chinks
chiropractic The use of bone alignment to treat specific or general health problems. choking
down See dorsal displacement of the soft palate.
chondroitin
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Commonly known as COPD, a hyperallergenic response
of the respiratory system that involves damage to the lung tissue, similar in many ways to
human asthma. Affected horses may cough, develop a nasal discharge, and have a reduced
tolerance for exercise. Respiratory rate is increased and lung elasticity is diminished.
chronic osselet Permanent buildup of synovial fluid in a joint, characterized by inflammation
and thickening of the joint capsule over the damaged area. Usually accompanied by changes
in the bone and cartilage. See arthritis.
chuck wagon (noun)
chuck-wagon (verb)
chute Extension of backstretch or homestretch to permit a straight start in a race as opposed
to starting on or near a turn.
cinch
ciphers See numerals.
city Capitalize as part of a proper name. New York City, Kansas City. Lowercase elsewhere. A
Texas city, the city of Boston. Our style on cities should follow that of the Associated Press,
which states that large cities can stand on their own, without a state identification. Here are
some cities with racetracks or with racetracks nearby that do not require state or province
designations: Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit,
Houston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New Orleans, New York,
Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and
Washington. Three other cities, Lexington, Louisville, and Ocala, are so well known within the
industry that they are used without state designations. Among foreign cities that are used
without a country are: Hong Kong, London, Paris, Mexico City, Montreal, Moscow, Panama
City, Tokyo, and Toronto.
citywide
claim This verb is frequently misused. To claim is to assert a right, title, or possession. The
handicapper returned to his native Italy to claim his ancestral property. It does not mean to
make an assertion, as in He claimed that the opposing trainer had acted improperly. Assert or
contend should be used. He contended that the unscrupulous owner had deceived him.
However, it is perfectly acceptable to say, The jockey claimed foul after the front-runner’s
rider almost put him over the inside rail. The phrase “claimed foul” is by now deeply engrained
in the language.
Claiming Process by which a licensed person may purchase a horse entered in a designated
race for a predetermined price. When a horse has been claimed, its new owner assumes title
after the starting gate opens although the former owner is entitled to all purse money earned
in that race. Sometimes called halter or haltered, for the act of putting a new halter on a
claimed horse so that it can be led back to its new barn. He haltered the colt for $25,000.
However, halter as a verb is racing journalese and should be avoided.
claiming box, claims box Box in which claims are deposited before the race.
claiming race A race in which each horse entered is eligible to be purchased at a set price.
Claims must be made before the race and only by licensed owners or their agents who have a
horse registered to race at that meeting or who have received a claim certificate from the
stewards. A claiming race in which there is an option to have horses entered to be claimed for
a stated price or not eligible to be claimed is an optional claiming race.
Class Designation of track licenses in Texas. Lone Star Park has a Class I license. Use Roman
numeral in this usage.
Class Rates Always capitalized. Developed by THOROUGHBRED TIMES, it is a statistical
measurement of how all horses rate against one another. The rate, based on a scale of 126
pounds as the starting point for top horses, takes into account weight, age and sex
allowances, distance, and beaten lengths in evaluating all runners.
classes in horse show class designations, junior and senior are not abbreviated. In editorial
text, class abbreviations are not used. Lower case unless part of a title. Paint Horse Journal
classic 1) A race of traditional importance. 2) Used to describe a distance. The American
classic distance is 1 1⁄ 4miles on dirt. The European classic distance is 1 1⁄ 2miles on turf.
THOROUGHBRED TIMES
The Classic Series (USTA races)
The Trotting Classic open trotters
The Pacing Classic open pacers
The Classic Oaks trotting mares
The Classic Distaff pacing mares
clenbuterol A bronchodilator used for respiratory ailments. Scheduled as a Class 3 substance
by the Association of Racing Commissioners International, it led to several positive tests in the
late 1990s. Trace levels were permitted for the drug beginning in 2002 in some states, notably
California.
clerk of scales An official whose chief duty is to weigh the riders before and after a race to
ensure proper weight is or was carried.
climbing When a horse lifts its front legs abnormally high as it gallops, causing it to run
inefficiently.
clocker Individual who times workouts and races.
closed knees A condition when the cartilaginous growth plate above the knee (distal radial
physis) has turned to bone. Indicates completion of long bone growth and is one sign of
maturity.
closer A horse that runs best in the latter part of the race, coming from off the pace. close-up
(n. and adj.)
Club championship – ApHC, upper case
clubhouse turn Generally, the turn on a racing oval that is closest to the clubhouse facility;
usually the first turn after the finish line.
co- Retain the hyphen when forming nouns, adjectives, and verbs that indicate occupation and
status. co-author, co-chairman, co-champion, co-host, co-owner, co-partner, co-pilot, corespondent, co-star, co-worker.Use no hyphen in other combinations. coed, coeducation,
coequal, coexist. See prefixes and suffixes.
co-champion
coffin bone The third phalanx (P3). The major bone within the confines of the hoof. Also called
the pedal bone.
Coggins test A test using antigens or antibodies to diagnose equine infectious anemia. colic
Often used broadly to describe abdominal pain, it is the leading cause of death among horses.
Its causes include: obstruction in the large colon; a twist in the intestine that shuts off the
food passageway and blocks the blood supply; or gastric ulcers.
colitis-X
collectives These are nouns that appear to be singular but very often take plural verbs. Two of
the most commonly used collectives are total and number. Whether to use a singular or plural
verb with them can be resolved with a simple rule—If the article a precedes the word, use a
plural verb; if the precedes the noun, use a singular verb. A total of 237 yearlings were
entered for the sale. The number of fatal breakdowns at the track has declined in 1999. In
general, if the sense of the word conveys a sense of oneness, use a singular verb; when a
larger number is inherent in the word, use a plural verb. For instance, when majority implies
most of a group, a plural verb is acceptable. Couple takes a plural verb. The couple were
enthralled with racing.
Coaching Club Trotting Oaks USTA race
coattails
coffin bone
Coggins test
coldblood
cold-water wraps
colic
collected
colon Precedes the final clause summarizing prior matter; introduces listings, statements, and
texts; marks discontinuity, and takes the place of an implied for instance. The question came
up: What does he want to do? States and funds allotted were: Alabama, $6,000; Arizona,
$4,000. Generally, the word following the colon will be capitalized when the material that
follows is a complete sentence. Also used in clock time, 8:15 p.m., and in race times denoting
whole seconds less than one minute, 2:02.22. Used in Bible and legal citations. Matthew 2:14,
Missouri Statutes 3:245-260.
Colors See silks.
color-bearer (n.)
colors (horse) Colors accepted by the Jockey Club are bay, black, chestnut, dark bay or brown,
gray/roan, and white. In 1996, the Jockey Club started combining gray and roan, which had
been separate colors previously. See bay, black, chestnut, dark bay or brown, gray or roan,
white.
colt An ungelded (entire) male horse four years old or younger.
Colostrums
come-from-behind (adj.)
coming 2-year-old
comma Separates words or figures. What the solution is, is a question. August 1, 1982.
$1,234,567. Separates items in a series. The woman was short, slender, blonde, and old.
Style is to retain the comma before the words andand orin lists. Used to set off dates,
addresses, and geographical locations. The letter was dated June 20, 1978. He lived at 21
Baker St., Elyria, Ohio, for 20 years. A final comma is also necessary to separate the phrase
from the rest of the sentence. Used to separate independent clauses within a sentence. Fish
abounded in the lake, and the shore was lined with deer. Dependent clauses do not require a
comma. He climbed to the top of the hill and looked out over the ocean. Used to set off
attribution. The work, he said, is exacting. According to trainer Ron McAnally, John Henry will
be back in a month. Used to separate words or phrases in apposition. Cigar, the favorite, won
handily. Not used before Jr. and Sr. in names. John L. Jones Jr. Not used between a month
and a year. December 2000. Not used before Inc. or Ltd. in company names. See Inc., Ltd.
Commingle Combining mutuel pools from off-track sites with the host track.
comminuted (fracture) A fracture with more than two fragments.
commitment
company Class of horses in a race or the class of horses a runner usually keeps. He last ran in
stakes company.
comparable index (CI) Indicates the average earnings of progeny produced from mares bred
to one sire when these same mares are bred to other sires. A CI of 1.00 is considered
average, 2.00 is twice the average, and 0.50 half the average.
compare with, compare to In most cases, the correct choice will be compared with. Profits
were $2.2-million, compared with a $1.1-million loss in the prior year. Here is a relatively
reliable rule of thumb. If the situation is a real-life comparison, such as earnings figures, use
compared with. In hypothetical or figurative comparisons, use compared to. Compared to
Secretariat, he was not much of a runner.
compound (fracture)A fracture in which the damaged bone breaks through the skin. Also
known as an open fracture.
comprise This verb is frequently misused. Four races will comprise the competition. The
correct sentence would be: The competition will comprise four races. To use comprise
correctly, remember that the whole comprises the parts. In most cases, the passive voice “is
comprised of” is unnecessary and should be avoided.
committee – Uppercase as part of a formal name (The House Select Committee on Health
Reform) but lowercase on second or generic references: (The committee decided Tuesday to. .
.)
compliment/complement – Compliment is kind oral or written statement; complement means
a unit or fitting well with another object/person/place, etc.
compose/comprise – A group is composed of its members, but members comprise (make up)
the group.
concho
condition book(s) A series of booklets issued by a track’s racing secretary setting forth
conditions of races to be run at that track.
conditioner 1) A trainer. 2) A workout or race to enable a horse to attain fitness. Both of these
uses are racing journalese and are best avoided.
conditions The requirements of a particular race. This may include age, sex, money or races
won, weight carried, and the distance of the race.
condylar (fracture) A fracture in the lower knobby end (condyle) of the lower (distal) end of a
long bone such as the cannon bone or humerus (upper front limb).
conformation The physical makeup and bodily proportions of a horse—how it is put together.
congenital Present at birth.
Congress Capitalize U.S. Congress and Congress when referring to the U.S. Senate and House
of Representatives. Lowercase when used as a synonym for convention or in second reference
to an organization that uses the word as part of its formal name.
Congressman – Do not use as a title before a person’s name. Use U.S. Rep. or U.S. Sen. Or
congressional delegation when referring to the group. Senators and representatives who serve
in the state legislature are not part of the congressional delegation. “Congressional” refers to
Washington only. Members of the state legislature are referred to as state Rep. Jones or state
Sen. Smith. SEE REP/SEN.
Connections Persons identified with a horse, such as owner, trainer, rider, and stable
employees. This also is racing journalese and is best avoided.
Consensus Should not be followed by “of opinion.” Opinion is an integral part of consensus.
consolation double A payoff to holders of daily double tickets combining the winning horse in
the first race of the double with a scratched horse in the second.
Constitution Capitalize when referring to the U.S. Constitution, with or without the U.S.
modifier.
contagious equine metritis A venereal disease. Mares may have a profuse vaginal discharge.
No symptoms may be obvious in stallions. Spelled out on first reference. Abbreviate as CEM
on second reference.
contentious Means quarrelsome. Most races are not quarrelsome; they are competitive or
hard fought, as the race’s circumstances will dictate. One of the very few contentious races
was the famous Fighting Finish of the 1933 Kentucky Derby between Brokers Tip and Head
Play.
continuous, continual Continuous means all the time, without interruption. The music played
continuously. Continual means a steady repetition. The owner made continual payments to
keep his two-year-old colt eligible for the futurity.
contractions Style varies by publication regarding use.
cooling out Restoring a horse to normal body temperature, usually by walking, after it has
become overheated during exercise or racing. All horses that are exercised and raced are
cooled out. See hot-walk.
corn An irritation on the sole of the foot, toward the heel. As in a human, the result of
pressure from the shoe.
corp. See corporation.
corporation Abbreviate Corp. when a company or agency uses it as part of its formal name.
Spell out and lowercase when it stands alone. New York City Off-Track Betting Corp. See
abbreviations.
coronary band Where the hair meets the hoof. Also called the coronet.
coronet See coronary band. conformation
Congressional
Coors Delvin Miller Adios USTA race
coronet
corticosteroids Hormones (class of steroid) that are either naturally produced by the adrenal
gland or man-made. They function as anti-inflammatory hormones or as hormones that
regulate the chemical stability (homeostasis) of the body. One common misconception is that
a horse receiving corticosteroids experiences an increase in its natural abilities and therefore
has an unfair advantage.
cosponsor
cost-effective
cough To expel air from the lungs in a spasmodic manner. Can be a result of inflammation or
irritation to the upper airways (pharynx, larynx, or trachea) or may involve the lower airways
of the lungs (deep cough).
Council – Uppercase if part of an official title. Lowercase in second or generic reference.
councilor/counselor – A councilor is a member of a council. A counselor offers advice,
particularly on legal matters.
counter canter
country codes Use on first reference only. All horses imported after January 1, 1977, use
country codes; before that date they require asterisks (*), known as import or “imp” marks on
every reference, including headlines, subheads, and cutlines. All horses imported into the U.S.,
Canada, or Puerto Rico receive a country code and drop the “=” sign preceding their names.
This includes horses imported for racing or breeding purposes. Occasionally, an “$” will
precede a horse’s name; these horses were allowed in the country on a 30-day racing permit,
and the “$” should be deleted. Equineline is source. Country codes are not used in headlines,
subheads, cutlines, or table of contents. Used in cutlines only in a standalone when it is the
only reference being made to that horse on that page.
Afr Africa
Alg Algeria
Ant Antigua
Ara Arabia (old foals only)
Arg Argentina
Aus Australia
Aut Austria
Baa Bahamas
Bah Bahrain
Bar Barbados
Bel Belgium
Ber Bermuda
Bol Bolivia
Brz Brazil
Brg British Guyana
Bwi British West Indies
Bul Bulgaria
Bur Burma
Can Canada
Cey Ceylon
Chi Chile
Chn China
Col Colombia
Cr Costa Rica
Cub Cuba
Cyp Cyprus
Cze Czech Republic
Den Denmark
Dr Dominican Republic Dub Dubai
Eaf East Africa
Gdr East Germany
Ecu Ecuador
Egy Egypt
Els El Salvador
Eng England
E/I England/Ireland
Eur Europe
Fin Finland
Sea Foaled at sea
Fr France
Ger Germany
Gha Ghana
Gib Gibraltar
Gc Gold Coast
GB Great Britain
Gr Greece
Gua Guatemala
Hol Holland
HK Hong Kong
Hun Hungary
Ind India
Ndo Indonesia
Ira Iran
Ire Ireland
Isl Israel
Ity Italy
Jam Jamaica
Jpn Japan
Jor Jordan
Ken Kenya
Rok Korea
Kor Korea
Kuw Kuwait
Leb Lebanon
Lib Libya
Lux Luxembourg
Mac Macao
Mal Malaysia
Mta Malta
Mau Mauritius
Mex Mexico
Mor Morocco
NZ New Zealand
Nic Nicaragua
Nor Norway
Nex Not Sent
Pak Pakistan
Pan Panama
Par Paraguay
Per Peru
Phi Philippines
Pol Poland
Por Portugal
P.R. Puerto Rico
Qtr Qatar
Rho Rhodesia
Rom Romania
Ru Russia
Rus Russia
Sar Sarawak
Srb Saudi Arabia
KSA Saudia Arabia
Sca Scandanavia
Sco Scotland
Sen Senegal
Sia Siam
Sin Singapore
Slo Slovak Republic SAf
South Africa
Sam South America
Srh South Rhodesia
Su Soviet Union
Spa Spain
Sud Sudan
Swe Sweden
Swi Switzerland
Tai Taiwan
Thi Thailand
Tri Trinidad and Tobago
Tun Tunisia
Tur Turkey
Ukr Ukraine
UAE United Arab
Emirates USA United States
Uru Uruguay
Ven Venezuela
Vi Virgin Islands
Wal Wales
Win West Indies
Yug Yugoslavia
Zim Zimbabwe
counter flexion
counterbalance
countryside
county Capitalize when an integral part of a name. Suffolk County, Nassau County. Capitalize
if it is an integral part of a specific body’s name even without the proper noun. the County
Commission, the County Legislature.
coupled (entry) Two or more horses running as an entry in a single betting unit. See entry.
country-western
county-fair harness racing
course pattern
cover A single breeding of a stallion to a mare. He will cover 70 mares this year. She was
impregnated on only one cover.
cowboss
cowgirl
cow hocks, cow-hocked Abnormal conformation in which the points of the hocks turn in.
cowman
cow dog
cowhand
cowhide
cow horse
cowy
cracked hoof A vertical split of the hoof wall. Cracks may extend upward from the bearing
surface of the wall or downward from the coronary band, as the result of a defect in the band.
Varying in degrees of severity, cracks can result from injuries or concussion. Hooves that are
dry or thin (shelly) or improperly shod are susceptible to cracking upon concussion. Corrective
trimming and shoeing may remedy mild cracks, but in severe cases, when the crack extends
inward to the sensitive laminae, more extensive treatment is required, such as using screws
and wires to stabilize the sides of the crack.
cranial Toward the head.
creep feeder A feeding device designed to allow a foal to eat but keeps its dam out. Otherwise,
the mare might eat the foal’s food.
cremello
cribbing, cribber A horse that clings to objects with its teeth and sucks air into its stomach.
Also known as a wind sucker.
crisscross
crop 1) The number of foals by a sire in a given year. 2) All horses collectively born in the
same year. It was an average crop of three-year-olds. 3) A jockey’s whip.
cropout
crossbreed, crossbred cross-breed varies by publication
crossfiring
cross-rail
cross-ties, cross-tying, cross-tied, crosstied, crossties varies by publication
cross-training
croup
Cryptorchid A unilateral cryptorchid is a male horse of any age that has one testicle
undescended. A bilateral cryptorchid is a male horse of any age that has both tes ticles
undescended. The Jockey Club defines cryptorchid as a male horse of any age that has both
testicles undescended. See ridgling, monorchid. ticles undescended.
cup 1) Refers to the irregular occlusal surface of the tooth (the surfaces that meet when a
horse closes its mouth) and is used as a visual method of determining age in a horse. 2)
Trophy awarded to winning horse owners, usually in a stakes race.
cup horse A term once used to describe horses competing at the highest level of the sport in
races at a distance.
cuppy (track) A drying and loose racing surface that breaks away under a horse’s hooves.
curb A thickening of the plantar ligament of the hock.
Curragh, the Racecourse in Ireland.
Currier & Ives USTA race
Currier & Ives Filly Division USTA race
cushion Top portion of a racetrack.
custom-made
cut down Horse suffering injuries from being struck by the shoes of another horse. Or, due to
a faulty stride, a horse may cut itself down.
Cutlines style varies by publication
cut off (v.)
cutoff (n. and adj.)
USTA “Cyber Circuit”
cyber-friend
cycle breeding, cycle-bred, double cycle-bred
D
D-ring snaffle, D-ring on saddle
DMSO, dimethylsulfoxide
DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid
DNA genotyping
DNCFR, Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo
D.V.M.
Dacron
Dad (your dad)
dad (dads in general)
daily double Type of wager calling for the selection of winners of two consecutive races,
usually the first and second.
Daily Racing Form A daily newspaper containing news, past-performance data, and
handicapping information. Founded in 1895, it is the successor of the Morning Telegraph. The
Morning Telegraph was founded in 1833 and was closed during a strike by printers in 1972.
dam The female parent of a foal. dam’s sire (broodmare sire) The sire of a broodmare. Used
in reference to the maternal grandsire of a foal.
Dan Patch Invitational USTA race
Dancer Memorials USTA races
Harold R. Dancer Memorial Trot 2-year-old trot
Harold R. Dancer Memorial Trot Filly Division 2-year-old filly trot
James B. Dancer Memorial Stake 3-year-old pace
Helen Dancer Memorial 3-year-old filly pace
dark A day when there is no racing. There is no racing on a dark day. The track is dark on
Mondays and Tuesdays.
dark bay or brown A horse color that ranges from brown with areas of tan on the shoulders,
head, and flanks, to a dark brown, with tan areas seen only in the flanks, muzzle, or both. The
mane, tail, and lower portions of the legs are always black unless white markings are present.
See colors.
dark horse Probably a good horse whose full potential is unknown before a race.
dashes Indicates a sudden change in a sentence. He contended—no one denied it—that he had
priority. Can be used instead of parentheses in cases. If that man should gain control—God
forbid!—our troubles will have only begun. The monarch—shall we call him a knave or a
fool?—approved it. When a dash is used, there is no space on either side of it and two
hyphens are used (—), which are converted into an em dash in typesetting.
dash winner, dash-winning USTA
data Plural noun, but used with a singular verb.
database
data processing
dates Are spelled out on first reference, though years may be abbreviated after first reference.
May 21, 1996; May of ’96; 1985, then’85. Always use Arabic numbers for the actual date, and
do not use -st, -rd, or -th. A comma separates day from year in a specific date reference.
December 22, 1998. A comma does not separate month from year in a more general
reference. He began his riding career in May 1975 at Prescott Downs. See abbreviations—
years.
day Generally, day is not capitalized. Kentucky Derby day. An exception is when the word is a
part of the title of an event. Kentucky Cup Day of Champions, Louisiana Champions Day.
daylight saving time Eastern Daylight Time, Pacific Daylight Time. Not savings. Clock is
advanced one hour in most areas of the United States from the first Sunday in April to the last
Sunday in October.
daylong
daytime
dead heat (n.) Two or more horses finishing a race in a tie. See DH.
dead-heat (adj.) Cannot be used as a verb.
dead track Racing surface lacking resiliency.
Decades Use Arabic figures to indicate decades in history. Use an apostrophe to indicate
numerals left out; show plural by adding the letter “s.”the 1890s, the ’90s, the Gay ’90s, the
mid-1930s.
decision-maker
declared In the United States, a horse withdrawn from a stakes race in advance of scratch
time. In Europe, a horse confirmed to start in a race.
deejay (D.J.)
deep flexor tendon Present in all four legs, but injuries most commonly affect the front legs.
Located on the back (posterior) of the front leg between the knee and the foot and between
the hock and the foot on the rear leg. The function is to flex the digit (pastern) and knee
(carpus) and to extend the elbow on the front leg and extend the hock on the rear leg.
Functions in tandem with the superficial flexor tendon.
deep-sea fishing
deep stretch A position very close to the finish line in a race. de Gaulle, de Kwiatkowski, etc.
Foreign articles are lower case, except at the start of a sentence. See capitalization, names.
degenerative joint disease (DJD) Any joint problem that has progressive degeneration of joint
cartilage and the underlying (subchondral) bone. Occurs most frequently in the joints below
the radius in the foreleg and femur in the hind leg. Some of the more common causes include
repeated trauma, conformation faults, blood disease, traumatic joint injury, subchondral bone
defects osteochronditis dissecans (OCD) lesions, and excessive intra-articular corticosteroid
injections. Also known as osteoarthritis or as developmental orthopedic disease (DOD).
deja vu
Delvin Miller Memorial – USTA race
department/division – Uppercase when part of a proper name, lowercase on second reference.
Depression Capitalize the Depression and the Great Depression only when referring to the
worldwide economic downturn generally regarded as having begun with the stock market
collapse on October 28-29, 1929.
Derby A stakes event for three-year-olds, deriving its name from Lord Derby.
Derby Stakes The Derby in England is Epsom Derby, not English Derby.
Derbys More than one Derby.
derring-do
descendant Preferred over descendent.
despite the fact that Make it although.
deworming. dewormer, not worming or wormer
deutsche mark
desmitis Inflammation of a ligament. Often a result of tearing of any number of ligament
fibrils. deworming The use of drugs (anthelmintics) to kill internal parasites, often performed
by oral paste or by passing a nasogastric tube into the horse’s stomach.
DH Abbreviation for dead heat, though always spelled out in editorial. Abbreviation, all caps, is
only used in stakes shells.
dictionaries For words not contained in this stylebook, the dictionary of reference is Webster’s
New World Dictionary, Fourth College Edition. For words not contained in Webster’s New World
Dictionary or in this stylebook, refer to Webster’s Third New International Dictionary. die-hard
(n. and adj.)
different In almost every case, it will take the preposition from. “Different than” is generally
regarded to be colloquial.
digestible energy The amount of energy a horse is able to digest from its feed.
digital The part of the limb below the ankle (fetlock) joint. Includes the long and short pastern
bones and the coffin bone.
digital cushion The area beneath the coffin bone in the back of the foot that separates it from
the frog. The digital cushion serves as a shock absorber for the foot.
dimensions No space between measurements and “x”. 16x16-foot. Unit of measurement can
be dropped on additional mentions. diploma (earning a) Archaic. See break maiden.
diplomate After earning their veterinary doctoral degrees, some veterinarians do more
extensive work in a speciality and become certified by a speciality board. Board-certified
specialists show their diplomate status with the abbreviation dipl. and the name of the
organization. When board certification is used in a publication, such as Dip. A.C.V.I.M., it is
better understood by the reader if you say the person is board certified in veterinary internal
medicine. Here are some abbreviations you might run across:
ABVP—Clinical practice
ACT—Reproductive medicine
ACVA—Anesthesiology ACVB—Behavior
ACVD—Dermatology
ACVECC—Emergency and critical care
ACVIM—Internal medicine
ACVPM—Preventative medicine
ACVN—Nutrition
ACVR—Radiology
ACVS—Surgery
ACVO—Ophthalmology
AVDC—Dentistry
directions When referring to the compass points, north, south, east, and west are not
capitalized. Certain well-defined and easily recognizable regions are capitalized, such as
Midwest, South, Deep South, Northern California, Southern California, South Jersey,and South
Florida. If in doubt, do not capitalize. See regions, capitalization.
director – Uppercase as a formal title, but lower case after a name.
disc
diseases – lower case unless named for an individual, such as Hodgkin’s disease. Cowboy
Publishing Group
distance – use figures for 10 and above, spell out one through nine.
District No. 1, not Dist. Spell out District.
disqualification Change in order of finish by officials for an infraction of the rules.
distaffer A female horse. This word is inelegant and best avoided.
distaff race A race for female horses. Here, too, it is best to avoid the phrase and use more
specific language, such as a race for fillies and mares.
distal Away from a reference point. Usually refers to the limbs. The injury was distal (below)
to the hock.
distal sesamoidean ligaments Attaches to the bottom of the sesamoid bones, passing down
and attaching to the long and short pastern bones.
distanced Horse so far behind the rest of the field of runners that it is out of and unable to
regain a position of contention. A horse beaten more than 40 lengths.
Divisions – Capitalized in reference to competition divisions, Amateur, Novice Amateur, Open,
Youth Paint Horse Journal
DMSO Dimethyl sulfoxide, a topical anti-inflammatory.
Doctor, Dr. THOROUGHBRED TIMES style is to use the academic or professional degree, such
as M.D., D.V.M., or Ph.D. Do not use Dr. in subsequent references. When board certification,
such as Dip. A.C.V.I.M. is used, it is better understood by the reader if you say the person is
board certified in veterinary internal medicine (A.C.V.I.M. means American College of
Veterinary Internal Medicine.) See diplomate.
dogs Rubber traffic cones (or a barrier) placed at certain distances out from the inner rail
when the track is wet, muddy, soft, yielding, or heavy to prevent horses during the workout
period from churning the footing along the rail. The dogs are up, or simply, dogs up. See track
condition.
dollar amounts Always hyphenated as adjective or noun. $20-million.
dope 1) Any illegal drug. 2) Slang term for past performance. Readers of past performances
are said to dope out a race. Usage should be restricted to quotes.
dorsal Up; toward the back or spine. Also used to describe the front of the lower limb below
the knee (front) or hock (rear).
dorsal displacement of the soft palate A condition in which the soft palate, located on the floor
of the airway near the larynx, moves up into the airway. A minor displacement causes a
gurgling sound during exercise, while in more serious cases the palate can block the airway.
This is sometimes known as choking down, but the tongue does not actually block the airway.
The base of the tongue is connected to the larynx, of which the epiglottis is a part. When the
epiglottis is retracted, the soft palate can move up into the airway (dorsal displacement). This
condition can sometimes be managed with equipment such as a figure-eight noseband or a
tongue tie. In more extreme cases, surgery might be required, most commonly a myectomy.
do’s and don’ts
dosage Although dosage theories exist, the term is most commonly associated with the one
interpreted by Dr. Steven Roman. A variation of Dr. Franco Varola’s work on pedigree
analysis, the system identifies patterns of ability in horses based on a list of prepotent sires,
each of whom is designated a chef-de-race. The dosage system puts these sires into one of
five categories—brilliant, intermediate, classic, solid, or professional, which are subjective
judgments of speed and stamina. Sires can be listed in up to two chef-de-race categories.
Each generation of sires is worth 16 points, divided up by the amount of sires, i.e., the
immediate sire is worth 16 points while the four sires four generations back are worth four
points apiece. See chef-de-race.
dosage index (DI) A mathematical reduction of the dosage profile to a number reflecting a
horse’s potential for speed or stamina. The higher the number, the more likely the horse is
suited to be a sprinter. The average dosage index of all horses is about 4.00. The dosage
index (DI) is derived from the dosage profileto reflect the ratio of speed-to-stamina in a
pedigree. This is calculated by adding points from the two “speed” categories (brilliant and
intermediate) plus half of those from the classic (middle) category, and dividing that total by
the points from the two stamina categories (solid and professional), plus the other half of the
classic points. The higher the DI, the more speed is supposedly present in the pedigree.
Average North American DI is 2.40—thus, Cigar’s DI of 2.33 indicates he has slightly more
stamina in his pedigree than average. A 4.00 DI is generally the cutoff, over which a horse is
considered not likely to get the American classic distance of a mile and a quarter. See Dosage
Profile, Center of Distribution.
dosage profile A listing of dosage points by category. Used to develop the dosage index (DI). A
Roman dosage profile (DP) is derived from the points of chefs found in four generations of a
pedigree and where they fall on the aptitudinal chart. (Cigar’s DP, for example, is 7-2-10-1-0.)
Since breeding has changed in the last century to emphasize speed over stamina (particularly
in America), modern pedigrees are likely to lean toward brilliant-to-classic, as does Cigar’s.
One would be hard pressed today to find top runners without at least some brilliant or
intermediate influence in their pedigrees—as was the case with Man o’ War (0-0-4-12-8) and
1930s champions Discovery (0-0-0-4-6), Gallant Fox (0-0-16-8-4), and Challedon (0-0-16-42). Presently, the reverse is true. One is more likely to find minimal-to-nonexistent influence
from the professional end, as with Thunder Gulch (10-2-8-0-0), champion Timber Country
(11-5-22-0-0), and leading sire Danzig (15-11-14-0-0). See Dosage Index, Center of
Distribution.
dot.com Term used to describe an Internet company.
double consonants A consonant after a vowel and ending in a final accented syllable is
doubled: control, controlled; corral, corralled; transfer, transferred. A consonant is not
doubled when the accent falls on an earlier syllable: total, totaled; channel, channeled; travel,
traveled; equal, equaled. The same applies in both cases for –ing: transfer, transferring; but
equal, equaling. Consult dictionary and use preferred spelling.
Doubleheaders
double take
doughnut Not donut.
downstate Lowercase unless part of a proper name. downstate Illinois; the Downstate Medical
Center. Down Under Australia, New Zealand, and environs. This phrase should be used
sparingly if at all.
Down Under
DQ Abbreviation for disqualified; used only in stakes shells. drenchLiquid administered through
mouth.
drawgate
draw reins
Dressage – capitalize levels, First Level, Second Level, etc.
driver licensing USTA
driver-trainer USTA
drivers’ fee, fees USTA
driver’s license USTA
driver’s seat USTA
driving A horse that is all out to win and under strong urging from its jockey.
drop a foal Is not to be used except in a direct quote; the correct verb is foaled.
drop down A horse meeting a lower class of rival than it had been running against previously.
Dropped Do not use as a synonym for foaled. See foaled.
the d.t.’s USTA
dual classic winner
dually, duallies
dueled
due to – avoid using. Try “The bill failed because of . . .” or reword to say “The reason the bill
failed is. . .”
dun
D.V.M. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
dwelt Extremely late in breaking from the gate.
E
EEE, Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis
EIA, Equine Infectious Anemia
EPM, Equine Protozoal Myeoencephaltis
ESPN, espn2
early-closer USTA
earmuffs A piece of equipment that covers a horse’s ears to prevent it from hearing distracting
sounds.
earplugs USTA
eased A horse that is gently pulled up during a race.
easily Running or winning without being pressed by rider or opposition.
East
Eastern tent caterpillar
EBay
Eclipse Award Thoroughbred racing’s year-end awards, honoring the top horses and humans in
several categories. Named for the great 18th-century racehorse and sire Eclipse, who was
undefeated in 18 career starts and sired the winners of 344 races. The Eclipse Awards are
sponsored by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form, and National
Turf Writers Association. They were first given out in 1971; previously, separate year-end
champions were named by Daily Racing Form(beginning in 1936) and the Thoroughbred
Racing Associations (beginning in 1950). Any horse that is an Eclipse Award winner is referred
to as a champion. See Appendix B for a list of all Eclipse Award winners in all categories since
1971.
editor in chief No hyphens. Capitalize when used as formal title. Editor in Chief Horace
Greeley.
Editor’s Note When used in THOROUGHBRED TIMES to offer an explanation, such as with
Letters to the Editor, the entire note will be in parentheses and italic. (Editor’s Note: The horse
never raced in the Derby.)
EDT Eastern daylight time. No periods (Also, CDT, MDT, PDT.)
EEE (Eastern equine encephalomyelitis) One of several different types of encephalomyelitis
that are extremely contagious, causing sickness and death in horses by affecting the central
nervous system. EEE is spread by mosquitoes and can affect humans. Can be prevented by
annual vaccinations.
effect or affect See affect.
e.g. – “For example”
egg bars
egg bar shoe, egg-bar shoe
eked, not eeked
-elect Always hyphenate and lowercase. President-elect Bill Clinton.
Eligible Qualified to start in a race, according to conditions.
ELISA See enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay.
elimination – elim is acceptable for variety the next time an elimination is mentioned. If an
elimination is raced the same day as the final, it is an elimination heat. Hoof Beats
ellipsis Use an ellipsis (three periods) to indicate the deletion of one or more words in
condensing quotes, texts, and documents. He ... said he knew. Between sentences, type the
ending period of the first sentence, followed by a space, three periods, and another space. He
then went home. ... Later that evening .... May be used to indicate a pause or hesitation in
speech, or a thought that the speaker or writer does not complete. May be used as special
effects to separate individual items within a paragraph, such as the notes on a Trackside or in
similar material.
e-mail Lowercase, hyphenated, and not italicized.
Ended In reporting business news, such as quarterly reports, use without the word “on.” The
profits for the quarter ended June 30 totaled $1-million.
Endoscope An instrument used for direct visual inspection of a hollow organ or body cavity
such as the upper airway or stomach. A fiber optic endoscope comprises a long, flexible tube
that has a series of lenses and a light at the end to allow the veterinarian to view and
photograph the respiratory system through the airway. Other internal organs may be viewed
through a tiny surgical opening. A video endoscope has a small camera at the tip of the
instruments. While scoped as a verb is commonly heard on the racetrack, its use should be
limited to direct quotations when a horse undergoes an endoscopic examination
engagement 1) Stakes nomination. 2) Riding commitment.
English
ensure/insure – Ensure means to guarantee, as in to ensure a good outcome. Use insure ONLY
when you mean life, health or auto insurance.
en route
entire An ungelded horse. In Europe, where geldings are not permitted to enter certain races,
the race conditions might read: Entire colts and fillies.
entrapped epiglottis A condition in which the thin membrane lying below the epiglottis moves
up and covers the epiglottis. The abnormality may obstruct breathing. It is usually corrected
by surgery to cut the membrane if it impairs respiratory function.
entry Two or more horses with common ownership (in some cases, trained by the same
trainer) that are paired as a single betting unit in one race or are placed together by the
racing secretary as part of a mutuel field. Rules on entries vary from state to state. Also
known as a coupled entry. entry fee Money paid by an owner to enter a horse in a stakes
race—and is what usually defines a race as a stakes. Entry fees are not required for overnight
races (and some invitational stakes races).
entrymate
enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay A test, commonly referred to as the ELISA test, that is
used post-race to detect the presence of drugs in racehorses. Developed in the early 1990s by
the University of Kentucky.
epiglottis Triangular-shaped cartilage that lies at the base of the airway just in front of the
arytenoid cartilages, which cover the airway during swallowing. It is normally located above
(dorsal) the soft palate.
epiphysitis An inflammation in the growth plate (physis) at the ends of the long bones (such
as the cannon bone). Symptoms include swelling, tenderness, and heat. Although the exact
cause is unknown, contributing factors seem to be high caloric intake (either from grain or a
heavily lactating mare) and a fast growth rate.
epistaxis See bleeder.
EPM See equine protozoal myeloencephalitis. Spelled out on first reference.
equaled USTA
Equibase Co. A partnership between the Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Racing
Associations to establish and maintain an industry-owned, central database of racing records.
Equibase past-performance information is used in track programs across North America.
Formed in 1990, Equibase first collected data in 1991. In 1998, it began supplying pastperformance information to Daily Racing Form and Equibase became the sole collector and
official source of racing data.
EquineCommerce.com
equine protozoal myeloencephalitis Commonly called EPM. A neurological condition in a horse
caused by a parasite that infects the horse’s central nervous system. The cause of EPM is
Sarcocystis neurona, a small protozoan organism that is slightly larger than a bacterium. One
of the hosts necessary to complete the organism’s life cycle is the opossum.
equine viral arteritis (EVA) A highly contagious disease that is characterized by swelling in the
legs of all horses and swelling in the scrotum of stallions. Can cause abortion in mares and can
be shed in the semen of stallions for years after infection. Spelled out on first reference.
Abbreviated EVA on second reference.
equipment See bandage; bar shoe; bit; blinkers; bridle; earmuffs; halter; hood; nose band;
overcheck; overgirth; reins; saddle cloth; saddle pad; shadow roll; shank; stirrups; tongue
tie.
equivalent odds Mutuel price horses would pay for each $1 bet.
era Does not need apostrophe. The 1920s, not the 1920’s.
essential clauses, nonessential clauses An essential clause (also called a restrictive clause)
cannot be eliminated without changing the meaning of the sentence— it so restricts the
meaning of the word or phrase that its absence would lead to a substantially different
interpretation of what the author meant. These clauses are introduced with the relative
pronoun that. The nonessential clause (also called a nonrestrictive clause), however, can be
eliminated without altering the basic meaning of the sentence—it does not restrict the
meaning so significantly that its absence would radically alter the author’s thought. These
clauses begin with the relative pronoun which. They can be and must be set off by commas.
See that and which.
EST Eastern standard time. No periods. (Also, CST, MST, PST)
estrus (heat) Associated with ovulation; a mare usually is receptive to breeding during estrus.
Referred to as horsing. Estrus is a noun.
estrous cycle The length of time between consecutive ovulations. Estrous is an adjective.
et al. Needs a period after the l, as well as a comma before et. The race was attended by
George, Steve, Gary, et al. This Latin phrase should not be used in editorial matter.
etc.
executive director/executive vice president – Uppercase as a formal title before a name, but
lowercase after.
extended
extension agent
euro Most European countries converted their currency to the euro starting on January 1,
2002. THOROUGHBRED TIMES converts the euro to U.S. dollars.
Euthanized, euthanize, euthanasia Preferred by THOROUGHBRED TIMES; do not use humanely
destroyed or put down.
EVA See equine viral arteritis. Spelled out on first reference.
eve Capitalize when after the name of the holiday. New Year’s Eve, Christmas Eve. But the
eve of Christmas, Derby eve.
evenly Neither gaining nor losing position during a race.
even money, even-money favorite USTA
ewe-neck
exacta (or perfecta) A wager in which the first two finishers in a race, in exact order of finish,
must be picked. Called an exactor in Canada.
exacta box A wager in which all possible combinations using a given number of horses are bet
on.
exclamation marks Used to indicate surprise, appeal, incredulity, or other strong emotion. Use
very sparingly.
exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage See bleeder.
exercise rider Rider who is licensed to exercise a horse during morning training hours.
exotic (wager) Any wager other than win, place, or show that requires multiple combinations.
Examples of exotic wagers are trifecta, pick six, pick three.
Experimental Free Handicap A year-end assessment of the best North American two-year-olds
of the season. It is put together by a panel of racing secretaries under the auspices of the
Jockey Club and is based on performances in unrestricted races. Two lists are drawn up, one
for males and one for females. Only the handicap for two-year-olds is called the Experimental
Free Handicap; lists for older horses are free handicaps. First started by Walter Vosburgh in
1933. Race based on Experimental was run at Aqueduct from 1940 to 1956 at six furlongs
(Experimental Free Handicap No. 1) and another from 1946 to 1952 at 1 1⁄ 16 miles
(Experimental Free Handicap No. 2). See free handicap.
extended Running at top speed.
extensor tendon Extends the knee (carpus) joint, ankle joint, pastern, and foot and flexes the
elbow. The muscles begin above the knee and attach to the coffin and pastern bones.
Experimental Championship Ratings USTA
experts’ poll USTA
F
FEI World Reining Masters Series
FEI World Reining Masters Finals
FFA – no longer referred to as Future Farmers of America
fabric fastener (not Velcro) USTA
Fahrenheit The temperature scale commonly used in the United States, named after Gabriel
Daniel Fahrenheit. References to temperature—air, body—(in the United States) is expressed
by number and a degree sign (°) without denoting Fahrenheit.
fairgoer
fairgrounds
family makes their living
false favorite Horse that is a race favorite despite being outclassed by other competition in the
field. See underlay.
farrier See blacksmith.
far side
farther or further Farther denotes physical distance (he will run farther than a mile), and
further is an addition to or a time or degree (pursue a subject further).
fast (track) Footing that is dry, even, and resilient. See track condition.
Fasig-Tipton sales pavilion USTA
Father Time Capitalized but best avoided.
fault Weak points of a horse’s conformation or character as a racehorse.
favoring a leg
Fax, FAX (varies by publication)
Feather Light weight. Usually refers to the weight a horse is assigned to carry in a race. Its
use is archaic and should be avoided.
feathers
federal government
Federation Equestre Internationale – International Equestrian Federation, the worldwide
governing body of Equestrian Sports
fee 1) Amount paid to a jockey for riding in a race. 2) The cost of nominating, entering, or
starting a horse in a stakes race.
feed bag
feedlot
fence See rail.
fetlock (joint) Joint located between the cannon bone and the long pastern bone, also referred
to as the ankle.
feral
fiberglass
fiber-optic endoscope See endoscope.
Field The horses in a race.
field horse (or mutuel field) Two or more starters running as a single betting unit (entry),
when there are more starters in a race than positions on the totalizator board.
Fig Slang for speed figure. Do not use except in a direct quote.
figure eight (nose band) See nose band.
see figure 1
filly Female horse four years old or younger.
finals – finals for final round; “Finals” capitalized for a year-end or circuit finals show, like the
NCHA World Championship “Finals” Cowboy Publishing Group
Capitalize Finals and Semi-Finals when used as part of a title, Paint Horse Journal
fine-tuning
Fire A burst of acceleration by a horse in a race. The horse did (didn’t) fire when asked.
Firing See pin firing.
firm (track) A condition of a turf course corresponding to fast on a dirt track. A firm, resilient
surface.
first, not very first
firsthand
first lady – Lower case, even when used before a name, because it is not an official title or
position.
First Level
fissure (fracture) Longitudinal crack through only one surface of a bone.
fistula
flag Signal manually held a short distance in front of the gate at the exact starting point of a
race. In some jurisdictions, official timing starts when flag is dropped by the flagman to
denote proper start.
Flagman Person who drops the flag to signal the start of a race. flak jacket Similar to jackets
worn by quarterbacks, the jockey’s flak jacket protects the chest, ribs, kidneys, and back from
injury.
flat, flat-kneed
flat race Contested over a course without obstacles to jump. Often used in the term on the
flat.
flatten out A very tired horse that slows considerably, dropping its head on a straight line with
its body. Some horses, however, like to run with their heads lowered.
flatwork
flash (noseband)
flier – A handbill. Not flyer
flip-flop shoe
float 1) An equine dental procedure in which sharp points on the teeth are filed down. 2) The
instrument with which the above procedure is performed.
floating Flat plate or wooden implement (float) dragged over the surface of a wet track to aid
in draining water.
float the teeth
Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association
flying changes
fly swatter
flywear
foal(ed) (n.) 1) A horse of either sex in its first year of life. 2) Can also denote the offspring of
either a male or female parent. She is the last foal of Secretariat. (v.) 3) To give birth.
foal sharing(n.) But foal-sharing agreement as an adjective.
Fontana safety rail An aluminum rail, in use since 1981, designed to help reduce injuries to
horse and rider. It has more of an offset (slant) to provide greater clearance between the rail
and the vertical posts as well as a protective cover to keep horse and rider from striking the
posts.
footfall
footstep
forbear, forebear Forbear is to avoid or shun. Forebear is an ancestor.
forehand
forehoof
foreleg
forelimb
forelock
forging
forgo, forego Forgo means to do without, which is the most common use of the word. He
decided to forgo a new house. Forego means to go before or precede. It is most commonly
used in its participial form. It was a foregone conclusion that Cigar would be voted Horse of
the Year.
foreign earnings Always convert to dollars. A World Wide Web site for determining dollar
equivalents for the current day is www.x-rates.com/calculator.html.
founder See laminitis.
foundation
founding sires The Darley Arabian, Byerly Turk, and Godolphin Barb. Every Thoroughbred
must trace its male-line parentage to one of the three founding sires.
four-beat (when adjective)
four-wheel-drive
4-H
Fourth Level
Fox SportsNet
Fox Stake – USTA race
Fractions Fractions are expressed in numbers when accompanied by a whole number. 8 1⁄ 2,
:22 3⁄ 5. Spell out when less than a whole. three-quarters of a length, three-fifths of a second.
See poles.
fractional time Intermediate times recorded in a race, as at the quarter-mile, halfmile, threequarters, etc. All fractional times are expressed in hundreds of a second, with the exception of
historical times preceding Equibase’s collection of past performance data in 1991. Mr.
Prospector’s six-furlong track record at Gulfstream Park is 1:07 4⁄ 5. Charismatic won the
1999 Kentucky Derby (G1) in 2:03.29. Split(s) is a fractional time in increments of one-eighth
of a mile.
fracture A break in a bone. See comminuted; compound; condylar; fissure; metacarpal;
oblique; saucer; sesamoid; slab; spiral; simple; stress.
France Galop Regulatory agency of French racing industry is not hyphenated. Frank J. De
Francis Memorial Dash Stakes Note the space between De and Francis.
free-for-all
free handicap A race in which no nomination fees are required. More recently, and more
commonly, a ranking of horses three years old and up by weight for a theoretical race or as an
intellectual challenge. See Experimental Free Handicap.
freelance (v. and adj.) freelancer (n.)
free-legged pacer
freestyle
freeze brand
freeze-branded
Friesian
frog The V-shaped, pliable support structure on the bottom of the foot.
from post eight
front runner
front-runner (n.) A horse whose running style is to attempt to get on or near the lead at the
start of the race and to continue there as long as possible.
front-running (adj.)
frozen (track) A condition of a racetrack where any moisture present is frozen.
FTK Acceptable abbreviation for Fasig-Tipton Kentucky on second reference.
full brother, full sister Horses that share the same sire and dam; not hypenated.
full-card simulcasting
full time/full-time – Hyphenate only when used as an compound modifier. He has a full-time
job. It’s a full-time position. He works full time.
full swedge
fund raiser, fund-raising, fund-raiser – Fund raising is difficult. They held a fund-raising event.
They hired a fund-raiser. Varies by publication
futurity
full time, full-time Hyphenate when used as compound modifier. He works full time. She has a
full-time job.
fund, funded, funding These words have gained an insidious foothold within the language
through their continual use by government bureaucrats over the last 40 years of the 20th
century. The verb formation to fund has been a part of the language for a long time, meaning
to aside money for a future liability, such as to fund a pension plan. However, a newer usage
denotes an appropriation of funds, such as The program was funded by a $25-million
congressional grant. This usage, although widely used and now making its way into
dictionaries, does not enrich the language and is best avoided. Other words and phrases are
capable of taking their places. After all, when the checking account is empty, you do not say
that you have run out of funding.
fund raising, fund-raising, fund-raiser Fund raising is difficult. They planned a fundraising
campaign. A fund-raiser was held.
furlong One-eighth of a mile, which is equal to 220 yards or 660 feet.
Furosemide A medication used in the treatment of bleeders, commonly known by the trade
name Salix, a diuretic. Although research has not determined definitively how furosemide
reduces bleeding, it is widely believed that the diuretic effect reduces pressure within
capillaries in the lungs. First used in veterinary practice in 1967. See bleeder, Salix.
Futurity A race for two-year-olds in which the owners make a scheduled series of payments
over a period of time to keep their horses eligible. Purses for these races vary but can be
considerable.
G
Grs – General Rules (NRHA)
Gaines Memorial USTA race
gait The characteristic footfall pattern of a horse in motion. Thoroughbreds have four natural
gaits: walk, trot, canter, and gallop. Thoroughbreds compete at a gallop.
game plan
gaiting pole
gaiting strap
gallop
gap An opening in the rail where horses enter and leave the course.
Garrison finish A close victory, usually from off the pace. Derived from Ed “Snapper” Garrison,
a 19th-century rider known for his close finishes.
gaskin
gastric ulcers Ulceration of a horse’s stomach. Often causes symptoms of abdominal distress
(colic) and general unthriftiness.
gate See starting gate.
gate card A card, issued by the starter, stating that a horse is properly schooled in startinggate procedures.
gelding A male horse of any age that has been neutered by having both testicles removed
(gelded).
Gelding Plus Program, APHA
general sire list Not capitalized.
Generation X-er
genotyping
gentleman jockey Amateur rider, generally in steeplechases.
get Progeny of sire.
get of sire – no hyphens
girth An elastic and leather band, sometimes covered with sheepskin, that passes under a
horse’s belly and is connected to both sides of the saddle.
glamour Adjective is glamorous.
glue-on shoes
G.M.
Go, Baby, Go Commas used in NTRA slogan.
Go for Wand Stakes Lowercase “f” like the horse’s name for which the race is named.
Gold Cup and Saucer Pace USTA race
gold mine
good bottom Track that is firm under the surface, which may be dry or wet.
good (track) A dirt track that is almost fast or a turf course slightly softer than firm.
goodbye, good-bye varies by publication
good will
gooseneck
go-round
Gore-Tex
go’s
governor varies by publication
Governor’s Cup
Gov. Alfred E. Driscoll Series USTA races
grab a quarter Injury to the back of the hoof or foot caused by a horse stepping on itself
(usually affects the front foot). Being stepped on from behind in the same manner usually
affects the back foot. Very common in racing, the injury is usually minor.
graded race Established in 1973 to classify select stakes races in North America, at the
request of European racing authorities, who had set up group races two years earlier. Always
denoted with numerals 1, 2, or 3 (not I, II, or III). Capitalized when used in race title (the
Grade 1 winner). Capitalized and abbreviated G when used in parentheses following the name
of a stakes with the Arabic numeral of grade. The Secretariat Stakes (G1). Include grades on
first reference only. Do not include grades when reference to the race is prior to 1973 (for
North American races).See group race. Grading of races is performed by a committee under
the direction of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. Grades are not used in
headlines, subheads, cutlines, or table of contents. However, the grades should be used in
standalone cutlines when the only reference to that horse or race on that page is in the
cutline. See Canadian graded stakes.
graded stakes winner (n.)
graduate 1) Horse or rider winning for the first time. 2) A horse that has moved up to
allowance, stakes, or handicap racing. Both uses are colloquial and are best avoided.
grandma See second dam.
granddaughter
grandsire The grandfather of a horse; father (sire) of the horse’s dam or sire.
grass slip Used in some areas, permission to exercise a horse on the turf course. Also known
as a turf card.
gravel Infection of the hoof resulting from a crack in the white line (the border between the
insensitive and sensitive laminae). An abscess usually forms in the sensitive structures and
eventually breaks at the coronet as the result of the infection.
Gray A horse color where the majority of the coat is a mixture of black and white hairs. The
mane, tail, and legs may be either black or gray unless white markings are present. Starting
with foals of 1993, the color classifications gray and roan were combined as gray or roan. Do
not use a slash between roan and gray. See roan.
Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation A privately financed charitable organization
established in 1989, which combined the Grayson Foundation Inc. (begun in 1940) and the
Jockey Club Research Foundation. Website is www. grayson-jockeyclub.org.
Great Depression See depression.
Greater Capitalize when used to define a community and its surrounding region. Greater
Boston area.
great-grandson Lineage requires hyphenation.
greyhound
group race Designation of best races in countries outside of North America. European
authorities began designating races as Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3 in 1971. North
American officials, under the direction of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association,
began grading races in 1973. Group is capitalized when a specific number is referenced, such
as, The filly won the first Group 2 race of her career. Capitalized when the group designation is
used after a name of a race with the Arabic numeral. The Dewhurst Stakes (Eng-G1). Include
the equivalent name of the race after the formal name and grade: Prix du Jockey-Club (Fr-G1)
(French Derby). See graded race. Remember that Equineline printouts by stakes rules do not
correctly reflect Remember that Equineline printouts by stakes rules do not correctly reflect
Inter International Cataloging Standards rules for all countries. For example, very few of the
Japanese races listed as group races on Equineline printouts should be carried as group races
in THOROUGHBRED TIMES. Only group/graded races from countries in the “white pages” of
Cataloging Standards carry that designation, except for a very small number from “blue
pages” countries (such as the Japan Cup [Jpn-G1]) collected on a single page near the end of
the white pages section. Japanese races listed as group races on Equineline printouts should
be carried as group races in THOROUGHBRED TIMES. Only group/graded races from countries
in the “white pages” of Cataloging Standards carry that designation, except for a very small
number from “blue pages” countries (such as the Japan Cup [Jpn-G1]) collected on a single
page near the end of the white pages section.
Graded or Group stakes winners Thoroughbreds
Grand Prix Special
grass roots/grass-roots – Two words used as a noun, hyphenated as an adjective.
Gray or grey varies by publication
Greenbroke, green-broke varies by publication
greyhound
Ground Jury – panel of judges (NRHA)
ground poles; ground rails
groundwork
grow Business expressions often find their way into the language, but business fads or
buzzwords tend to fade away over time. One such fad word is grow when used as a transitive
verb. In the 1990s, business consultants began to speak of “growing a business,” and soon
executives all over the country were revealing their plans to “grow their business.” The verb
grow is best restricted to its traditional meanings, such as to increase in size and to cultivate
crops. Horses may grow, but they are not grown; they are raised. Corn is grown. Businesses
can grow in size, but their executives will seek to expand the business or increase sales and
profits. Thus, when you feel the urge to say, “Tom Meeker plans to grow Churchill Downs Inc.
by ...,” look for a more elegant and more descriptive word or phrase.
growthy
grueling
grullo
guineas By definition, a guinea is 21 shillings, or in current usage a pound and a shilling. Thus,
the guinea is equal to 1.05 pounds. Used by sales companies in England and Ireland to report
sales since it includes the sales company’s 5% commission.
Guineas Capitalized and spelled out as part of a race name (One Thousand Guineas, etc.), but
lowercase as currency.
gunmetal
H
HBPA, Horsemens Benevolent and Protective Association
HYPP, Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis
HERDA, heredity equine regional dermal asthenia
hackamore
half-bred
half brother, half sister Horses out of the same dam but by different sires. Horses with the
same sire and different dams are not considered half siblings in Thoroughbred racing. The
phrases are not hyphenated.
half-breed
half chaps
half circle
half halt
half-interest
half-length
half-mile
half-mile pole
half pass
half pirouette
half-round
half turn
half-swedge
half-steps
Hall of Famer
Hall of Fame See Racing Hall of Fame.
halter Like a bridle, but lacking a bit. Used in handling horses around the stable and when
they are not being ridden.
(to) halter or haltered Slang for claiming a horse. Avoid its use in editorial matter. See
claiming.
halter-broke
halter horse
Hambletonian Day
Hambletonian Filly Division USTA race
Hambletonian Oaks – USTA race
Hambletonian Society, the
Hambletonian Week
hammerhead
hand Four inches. A horse’s height is measured in hands and inches from the top of the
shoulder (withers) to the ground; that is, 15.2 hands is 15 hands, 2 inches, or a total of 62
inches. Thoroughbreds typically range from 15 to 17 hands.
handicap 1) Race for which the track handicapper assigns the weights to be carried. 2) To
make selections on the basis of past performances.
handicap horse A horse that competes in handicap races.
handicapper 1) A person who assigns weights to horses, not a horse that competes in
handicap races, which is a handicap horse. 2) A bettor who is making selections based on
information of horses’ performances from previous starts.
handily 1) Working in the morning with a strong effort. 2) A horse racing well within itself,
with little exertion during a race.
handle Amount of money wagered in the pari-mutuels on a race, a program, during a meeting,
or for a year.
hand ride Urging a horse with the hands and not using the whip.
handbag
handcrafted
hand-holds
go hand in hand
handmade
hands
handyman
hand walk, hand-walk varies by publication
Hanover-Hempt Stake – USTA race
Hanovarian
hard (track) A condition of a turf course where there is no resiliency to the surface.
hardboot A Kentucky horseman. The term Kentucky hardboot is redundant.
hardball, play hardball
hard-knocker A toughhorse who makes a lot of starts. hard-knocker
hard-knocking (adj.)
hard-mouthed
Harness Horsemen International USTA
harnessmaker
harness racing
Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame
Harrow Implement or unit with pulling teeth, or tines, used to rake and loosen the upper
surface of a track.
hatmaker
haunches-in
haute-ecole
hay belly
hay burner
hayloft
hayride
head Circumstances in which it is permissible as a reference to a group of horses— never. It is
just as easy, and a great deal more accurate, to call horses horses as it is to designate them
as so many head. They may also be referred to as yearlings, colts or fillies, Thoroughbreds,
individuals, animals, broodmares, stallions, bloodstock, two-year-olds, three-year-olds,
youngsters, breeding stock, horses in training, and so on, as the case may be. Also, in the
specific instance of auction sales, they may be properly mentioned as lots, although the latter
term is clumsy and should be used only in desperation.
head A margin between horses. One horse leading another by the length of its head.
head case
headgear
headlines Style will vary by publication.
head of the stretch Beginning of the straight run to the finish line.
head-on (adj. and adv.)
Head2Head Wager offered on eight races in Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred
Championships.
head-to-head Running on even terms.
head case
headgear
head pole, burr head pole
headset, head-set varies by publication
headstall
heart bars
heart-bar shoe
heat – If a race is held in heats (rather than eliminations and a final) such as the Little Brown
Jug, if the first heat is divided into two or three eliminations, with the top finishers advancing
to the second heat, those races are “first-heat eliminations.” Hoof Beats
heat 1) A race decided by two or more individual races over the same distances and between
the same horses on the same day. Not used in flat racing today, though it was common in the
19th century. Still used in harness racing today. 2) A breeding term. See estrus.
Heaves Emphysema. See chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
heaves
heavy (track) Wettest possible condition of a turf course; not usually found in North America.
Heel
heel crack A crack on the heel of the hoof. Also called a sand crack.
helmet A lightweight fiberglass cap worn by riders to prevent head injuries. It is required
equipment that is not considered part of a jockey’s riding weight.
hematoma A blood-filled area resulting from injury.
Hemisphere Capitalize Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, etc.; lowercase in other
uses—the Eastern and Western hemispheres, the hemisphere.
hemorrhage
heterozygous
high-point – hyphen when used as a modifier
Capitalized when used as part of a title, lowercase otherwise Paint Horse Journal
high rollers
high weight Refers to highest weight assigned or carried in a race. Kelso was assigned high
weight of 136 pounds for the Brooklyn Handicap.
highweight (n.) 1) Horse assigned or carrying the highest weight in a race. Kelso was the
highweight in the Brooklyn.2) Horse assigned the highest weight on the Experimental Free
Handicap, a division of the International Classification, or one of many free handicaps in
individual countries, and often viewed as the equivalent of a champion in the absence of
official championships. See Eclipse Award, champion.
highweighted highweighted (adj.) For horses carrying equal high weights, use co-highweight
and co-highweighted. The same principle appliesed, co-topweight, and co-topweighted.
hind foot
hind leg
hindquarter
hippology
Historic USTA races
Historic-Harriman Cup 2-year-old colt trot
Historic-Acorn 2-year-old filly trot
Historic-Goshen Cup 2-year-old colt pace
Historic-Debutante 2-year-old filly pace
Historic-Historic Cup 3-year-old colt trot
Historic-Coaching Club Oaks 3-year-old filly trot
Historic-Jersey Cup 3-year-old colt pace
Historic-Ladyship 3-year-old filly pace
Historic-Titan Cup FFA trot
hobbles
hock A large joint just above the shin bone in the rear legs. Corresponds to the level of the
knee of the front leg.
homebred A horse bred by its owner.
homestretch Long section of racetrack closest to the stands.
Hood A (usually) nylon covering that goes over a horse’s head; blinkers or earmuffs are
attached to it.
hoof The foot of the horse. Consists of several parts that play an integral role in supporting the
weight of the horse.
hopefully It means in a hopeful manner. Do not use it to mean it is hoped. Right: It is hoped
that we will complete our work in June. Right: We hope that we will complete our work in
June. Wrong: Hopefully we will complete our work in June.
Hopped A horse that has been illegally stimulated with a drug.
Horse When reference is made to sex, a horse is an ungelded male five years old or older.
horseflesh
Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association National organization of horsemen
composed of individual state organizations. Can be abbreviated HBPA on second reference.
Does not require abbreviation on first reference. See abbreviations.
Horse of the Year H and Y are capitalized for country and national awards only, all lowercase
for state awards and for phrases such as horse of the meeting. Canadian Horse of the Year
With Approval, 1994 Horse of the Year. The same rule applies to Broodmare of the Year (B
and Y are capitalized for national award only, designated by the Kentucky Thoroughbred
Owners and Breeders). See Broodmare of the Year.
horseplayer
horsepower
horse racing (n. and adj.)
horsing Behavior of a mare in heat (in season). See estrus.
hot-walk
hot walker Person or automatic machine who walks horses to cool them out after workout or
races. See cooling out.
hog-tied
Holland –should be Netherlands USTA
home betting
homemade
home page
hometown
homozygous
Honor Roll – APHA, AQHA capitalized when referring to a specific title, otherwise lowercase
hoof care
hoof pick
hoofprint
hoofed
hoof wall
hooves
hopefully – Avoid using unless a direct quote. Instead say it is hoped or supporters of the bill
hope. . .
hors concours
hors d’ouevres
horseback
horse-drawn
horsehair
horse-lover
Horse of the Year
horseman, horsemen
horseplayer
horsemanship
horse names – capitalize, no quotation marks
horse owner
horse people, horse person
horsepower
horse race. horse racing
horseshoes, horseshoer, horseshoeing
horse show
horsesitter
horsewoman
hot blooded
hot dog
hotheaded
House Bill, Senate Bill – HB and SB acceptable on second reference.
housebroke
however – There are two uses for this word. Use the comma after “however” if you can
substitute the word “though” for “however.” Don’t use the second comma if you can substitute
the word “but.”
hub rail
hung A horse that does not advance its position in a race when called upon by its jockey. hunt
coat (two words)
hunter and/or jumper – no slash or dash between; separate disciplines. Prefer not to combine
these terms unless in a direct quote.
hunt seat - hyphenate only when used as an adjective
hunter-under-saddle
hyaluronic acid A normal component of joint fluid. Also can be a man-made intra-articular
medication used to relieve joint inflammation.
hyperelsastosis cutis (HC)
hyphens The hyphen is one of the least correctly used and most abused, punctuation marks. It
is used properly to form compound words, to divide words in composition, in figures, in some
abbreviations, and to distinguish meanings of similarly spelled words. It also is used correctly
in noun constructions used as adjectives. The general rule for hyphens is that like characters
take the hyphen, unlike characters do not. A-bomb, U-boat, 20-20 vision, 3D, B60, MiG17, 3to-2, secretary-treasurer, south-southwest, north-central. Exceptions—4-H Club, $20-million.
Adjectival use of hyphens must be clear. The six-foot man eating shark was killed (the man
was killed). The six-foot man-eating shark was killed (the shark was killed). For race records
and career totals, avoid the use of hyphenation in the following constructions. He won 2-of-3
starts, and He retired with a 10-3-6 record for 32 lifetime starts. Spell out numbers under ten.
He won two of three starts. He won ten races in 32 lifetime starts with three seconds and six
thirds.
Suspensive hyphenation The A- and H-bombs were exploded. The five- and six-yearolds
attend morning classes. Do not use suspensive hyphens in large numbers. He said the
remodeling would cost between $10-million and $15-million. Never use the hyphen with
adverbs ending in ly. badly damaged, heavily favored, fully informed. The hyphen also serves
to distinguish meanings of similarly spelled words. recover, re-cover; resent, re-sent. The
hyphen frequently separates a prefix from a proper noun. pre-Raphaelite, unAmerican, nonThoroughbred. Always used in quoting odds with the word “to”: 2.40-to-1. Use hyphens in
scores and votes.The Pirates won 2-1. The breeders’ association president was turned out of
office in a 48-2 vote. Used to divide words between lines. Check dictionary on proper breaking
of words. Words containing a hyphen should be divided only at the hyphen. Washington-
based, not Wash- on the first line and ington-based on the second. When at all possible, no
more than two consecutive lines should end with a hyphenated word. The hyphen should not
be used to separate most numbers in a range. He conceded eight to ten pounds to his
opponents.
I
IFR, International Finals Rodeo
IPRA, International Pro Rodeo Association
i.e. – Latin for “that is.”
i.v.
inbreeding
in hand, in-hand – walk him in hand; in-hand classes
in foal
icing 1) A physical therapy procedure, properly known as cryotherapy. 2) When a horse is
stood in a tub of ice or ice packs are applied to the legs to reduce inflammation or swelling.
IM Abbreviation for intramuscular; an injection given in a muscle.
IMAX
Impaction A type of colic caused by a blockage of the intestines by ingested materials
(constipation).
impost Weight carried by a horse or assigned to a horse.
impostor Not imposter.
inbreeding The mating of closely related individuals, resulting in a pedigree with at least one
common ancestor duplicated on both the sire’s and dam’s side of the pedigree. In
Thoroughbreds, horses with one or more duplicated ancestors within the first four or five
generations are generally considered inbred, while duplications of ancestors in more distant
generations are often referred to as “linebreeding.” No spaces between generational readings:
3x3.
in or near Refer to locations of farms and racetracks as being in a particular city and state.
Near will be used to denote where the city is located if that information is presented.
Inc. Abbreviation for incorporated. It is usually not needed, but when used no commas
precede or follow
Inc. (nor Ltd.); do not spell out. He works for J. C. Penney Inc. full time.
incorporated Always abbreviated Inc. when used in conjunction with a company name.
index, indexes
industrywide
in foal Pregnant mare.
inferior check ligament A direct continuation of the posterior (back) ligaments of the knee
(carpus), located below the knee. Function is in support of the deep flexor tendon.
Infield Area encompassed by the inner rail of the racetrack.
in hand Running under moderate control, at less than top speed.
initials – Initials in a person’s name require periods and a space between first and second
initial. Paint Horse Journal
inlaid
inner-city kids
Inter Dominion Championships USTA races
Inter Dominion Pacing Championship
Inter Dominion Trotting Championship
Intermediate I/II
International Stallion Stake USTA races
International Stallion Stake-Whitehorse Farms 2-year-old colt pace
International Stallion Stake-Winback Farm 2–year-old filly pace
International Stallion Stake-Castleton Cup 2-year-old colt trot
International Stallion Stake-Hunterton/Stoner Creek 2-year-old filly trot
Internet, internet varies by publication
Inter-track
Initials A middle initial should be used in a name when the person commonly uses the initial.
John R. Gaines, John P. Moynihan, George W. Bush. See names.
inquiry A review of the running of the race to check into a possible infraction of the rules,
called by the stewards. Also, a sign flashed by officials on the tote board on such occasions. If
lodged by a jockey, it is called an objection. See objection.
Internet terminology In the 1990s, use of the computer Internet exploded in American society
and in the Thoroughbred industry. Here are proper forms of commonly used words and
phrases:
Internet Capitalized in all references.
World Wide Web Capitalized and spelled out in first reference.
Web Capitalized and appropriate second reference for World Wide Web.
Web address
Web page
Website One word.
Online Lowercase.
off-line Lowercase and hyphenated.
e-mail Lowercase, hyphenated, and not italicized.
dot.com Term to describe an Internet company.
URL uniform resource locator
When providing a World Wide Web address, give the full address and italicize:
www.thoroughbredtimes.com. On second reference, address can be shortened, but still
italicized: thoroughbredtimes.com. In Web addresses without www, include entire
address: http://address.com. On second reference, address can be shortened, but still
italicized.
insensitive laminae The layer just under the wall of the hoof; similar to the human fingernail.
It is an integral structure that helps to attach the hoof wall to the underlying coffin bone.
Interstate Horseracing Act The only instance where “horse racing” is one word. Enacted by
Congress in 1978.
intertrack intertrack wagering Can be abbreviated ITW on second reference.
in the bridle See on the bit.
in the money A horse that finishes first, second, or third.
intra-articular Within a joint
Irish rail Movable rail.
irons See stirrups.
ischemia Deficiency of blood supply, which may be temporary or permanent. Caused by the
shutting down of blood vessels.
isolation barn A facility used to separate horses to ensure that illness is not carried into the
area.
Italics Titles of books, magazines, newspapers, plays, movies, long musical compositions, long
poems, and names of trains, planes, and ships. To emphasize a word or larger element in a
sentence or to refer to a word as a word. To indicate a foreign word or phrase which has not
been Anglicized. Check the dictionary to see whether a foreign word or phrase you want to use
has been Anglicized. Italicize quotes from poetry or songs. Use quotation marks for short
stories, television shows, short poems, etc. See quotation marks for full list.
its vs. it’s – It’s means it is. Do not use it’s as a possessive.
ITW Abbreviation for intertrack wagering on second reference.
IVAbbreviation for intravenous; an injection given in the vein.
ivermectin
J
Jack spavin See bone spavin.
jackknife
jail Requirement that a claimed horse when it next competes in a claiming race must run for a
claiming price 25% higher for the next 30 days. Commonly used in the phrase, The horse is in
(out of) jail.
jawbone
jeep, Jeep Lowercase military vehicle. Uppercase civilian vehicle so trademarked.
Jockey Club Organization dedicated to the improvement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing.
Incorporated February 10, 1894, in New York City, the Jockey Club serves as North America’s
Thoroughbred registry, responsible for the maintenance of the AmericanStud Book, a register
of all Thoroughbreds foaled in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada; and of all Thoroughbreds
imported into those countries from jurisdictions that have a registry recognized by the Jockey
Club and the International Stud Book Committee.
jockey fee Sum paid to rider for competing in a race.
jockey’s agent Preferred over jockey agent or jock’s agent.
Jockeys’ Guild National organization of professional riders, based in Monrovia, California.
jockey’s race A race whose outcome will hinge mostly on strategic thinking by the riders; one
in which riders must pay close attention to pace to keep their horses fresh for a strong finish.
jodhpurs
jog Racetrack vernacular for trot. When horses jog on the track, they usually travel clockwise
unless they are preparing to gallop. Going clockwise, the opposite direction in which they race,
is known in racetrack terms as “backing up” or going “the wrong way.” It is not correct to say
a horse “jogged backwards.”
jog cart
joint 1) Point of juncture of two bones and usually composed of fibrous connective tissue and
cartilage. 2) Slang for battery.
joint capsule The sac-like structure that encloses the ends of bones in certain joints; contains
synovial fluid.
joint venture
joy ride
jr. No commas are used before Jr.
judging
judges’ committee – apostrophe following judges
judges’ stand
judgment
Jug Day
Jug Week at Delaware
jughead, jug-headed
jumper Steeplechase or hurdle horse.
junior
juvenile Two-year-old horse
K
Kant-See-Bak bridle
Kentucky Derby day The day the Kentucky Derby is held, the first Saturday in May. Lowercase
day.
Kentucky Futurity, Kentuck Futurity Filly Division USTA races
Kentucky Horse Racing Authority Replaced Kentucky Racing Commission, which Governor
Ernie Fletcher abolished in January 2004.
Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers’ Club Note apostrophe.
Kentucky Sire Stakes, USTA races
Kentucky Standardbred Sales Company Filly Pace USTA race
Kentucky Standardbred Sales Company Filly Trot USTA race
keur (ing)
key horse A single horse used in multiple combinations in an exotic wager.
kilogram, kilo
kilometer One thousand meters and equal to 0.62 mile.
kimberwick
king Capitalized only when used with a name, as in King George VI. It is uncertain whether
Prince Charles will become king of England.
knee A horse has a left or right only, not “front” because the ones in back are hocks.
key chain
K mart
knee-and-arm boots
knee boots
kneecap
knee-knocking
knee-narrow
knee-spreaders
knee-wide
knockdown
knock-off
krona, kronur
kur
L
L.B. Sheppard Pace USTA race
Labor Party Name of a major political party in England. Do not use the British spelling,
Labour.
lactate
lactic acid Organic acid normally present in muscle tissue, produced by anaerobic
muscle metabolism as a byproduct of exercise. An increase in lactic acid causes muscle
fatigue, inflammation, and pain.
lame A deviation from a normal gait due to pain in a limb or its supporting structures.
lamina (singular)
laminae (plural)
laminae A part of the hoof. See insensitive laminae and sensitive laminae. From
the Latin, it is a plural noun (singular is lamina).
laminitis An inflammation of the sensitive laminae of the foot. There are many factors
involved, including changes in the blood flow through the capillaries of the foot.
Many events can cause laminitis, including ingesting toxic levels of grain, eating lush
grass, systemic disease problems, high temperature, toxemia, retained placenta,
excessive weight-bearing as occurs when the opposite limb is injured, and the administration
of some drugs. Laminitis usually manifests itself in the front feet, develops
rapidly, and is life-threatening. In mild cases, however, a horse can resume a certain
amount of athletic activity. Laminitis is the disease that caused the death of Secretariat.
Also known as founder.
land mine
landowners
Lasix Now called Salix after name change in 2001. See furosemide; bleeder; Salix.
late-closer, late-closing series
late double A second daily double offered during the latter part of a race program.
See daily double.
lateral Toward the side and farther from the center. Pertains to a side.
lathered (up) See washed out.
latigos
lawyer, attorney See attorney, lawyer.
lay Laid (not layed), laying. Lay versus lie. Lay means to put down or place (lay on a
table), to impose as a duty (lay down the law). Conjugation is lay, laid, laid. Lie means
to rest or recline (to lie down). Conjugation is lie, lay, lain.
layoff (n.)
lay person
lay up (v.)
layup (n.) Plural layups.
lead (n.) Refers to the leading leg when a horse is racing in full stride. The lead leg is
the one that reaches out the farthest and bears the full weight of the horse’s impact.
Horses usually race on the left, or inside, lead on the turn, and on the right, or outside,
lead on straightaways. Changing leads refers to the horse’s ability to switch
leads at the proper time.
lead line, leadline, - use varies by publication
lead rope
lead shank See shank.
leaky-roof circuit Minor tracks.
left hand (n.)
left-handed (adj.)
left-hander (n.)
legislative titles Uppercase and spelled out in first reference preceding name. Add
U.S. or state before a title if necessary to avoid confusion. U.S. Senator Mitch
McConnell spoke with California state Senator Ken Maddy. See capitalization.
legislature Capitalize when preceded by the name of a state. The Kansas Legislature.
Retain capitalization when the state name is dropped but the reference is specifically
to that state’s legislature. Both houses of the Legislature met. Lowercase when
used generically. No legislature has approved the amendment. Use lowercase in all
plural references. The Arkansas and Kansas legislatures are considering the amendment.
See capitalization.
leg up 1) To help a jockey mount a horse. 2) to improve a horse’s fitness through
long, slow gallops.
leg-yield, leg yield – style varies by publication
length A measurement approximating the length of a horse and used to describe the
distances between horses in a race. A length is approximately eight feet.
Lethal White Foal Syndrome
leatherwork
levade
Levi’s
Levy Memorial Pacing Series, George Morton Levy Memorial Pacing Series USTA race
lie See lay.
life-size
lifestyle
lifetime
ligament A band of fibrous tissue that connects bones, supports and strengthens joints,
and limits the range of motion. Some ligaments support certain organs.
Lightweight
light-year
likely Sentences such as the following appear in newspapers every day. He likely will
be nominated for secretary of the breeders’ organization. However, idiom requires that
when likely is used as an adverb, it is preceded by most, quite, or very. However,
when likely is used as an adjective, those modifiers are not needed. He is likely to
be rejected because of his brusque manner.
limited Always abbreviated Ltd. when used with the name of a company. No comma
precedes abbreviation. Breeders’ Cup Ltd.
limited edition noun
limited-edition – modifier
Limousin
line-back
line breeding, linebreeding varies by publication
line up (v.)
lineup (n.)
lip sync
Lippizzaners
listed race A stakes race just below a group race or graded race in quality.
liter
live foal Two words in all uses.
lock Slang for a sure winner.
the Log Cabin at Delaware
long-barreled
long distance, long-distance Always hyphenated in reference to telephone calls. We
keep in touch long-distance. She took the long-distance call. Hyphenate when used as
a compound modifier. She travels a long distance. She made a long-distance trip.
longe, longeing 1) A long rope fastened to a horse’s halter and held by a trainer, who
causes the horse to move around in a circle. 2) A method of exercising a horse on
a tether (longe line).
Longhorns
long johns
longshot
long term/long-term – Medicine will win in the long term. He is a long-term senator from Ohio.
long time, longtime They have known each other a long time. They are longtime partners.
long yearling
longe, longed, longe line, longe-liner, longeing (do not use lunge or lounge)
loose ring (snaffle)
longe, longeing
long time noun
longtime modifier
losgelassenheit – Dressage Today, noun
lots See head.
Lou Babic Memorial USTA race
Lou Babic Memorial Filly Pace, USTA race
Lou Gehrig’s disease
Ltd. Always used as an abbreviation for limited when used in a company name. No
comma precedes abbreviation. Breeders’ Cup Ltd.
lug (bearing in or lugging out) Deviating from a straight course. May be due to weariness,
infirmity, inexperience, or the rider overusing the whip or reins to make a
horse alter its course.
M
MD, RN, PhD, DVM – No periods between letters. On first reference to a physician or
veterinarian, use Claire Wolf, MD, second reference drop MD and use Dr. Wolfe. Use commas
after MD, RN, DVM, etc., when introducing a clause. Also use a comma after “MD” or “DVM”
when referring to a doctor’s city: John Smith, DVM, Dayton, said. . .
Maccao
machine See battery.
machine-washable
magnetic therapy Physical therapy technique using magnetic fields. The low-energy
electrical field created by the magnetic field causes dilation of the blood vessels
(vasodilation) and tissue stimulation. Magnetic therapy may be used on soft tissue
to treat such injuries as tendinitis or bony (skeletal) injuries such as bucked shins.
maiden 1) A horse or rider that has not won a race. 2) A female that has never been
bred.
maiden race A race for nonwinners.
male-line (adj.)
maneuver
manmade, man-made varies by publication
Man o’ War
mare Female horse five years old or older. Also, any female that has been bred regardless of
age.
mare book
mare reproductive loss syndrome Use (MRLS) on first reference except when
abbreviation is used in same sentence as first reference. Use MRLS on subsequent
references.
mare’s month September. In theory, mares that have not run well during the summer
often perform better in September.
marketplace
markings
martingale
mash Soft, moist mixture, hot or cold, of grain and other feed that is easily digested
by horses.
massage Rubbing of various parts of the anatomy to stimulate healing.
masters class – ApHC, no apostrophe
MasterCard
match race A race between two horses.
Maturity
Meadowlands, the
measurements (units of) See numbers.
media
medial Pertaining to the middle in anatomy, nearer the median plane (the vertical plane
that bisects the body into right and left halves).
medication list A list kept by the track veterinarian and published by the track showing
which horses have been treated with legally prescribed medications.
medicine hat
memento, mementos
Messenger Stake USTA race
metacarpal (fracture) Usually refers to a fracture of the cannon bone, located between
the knee and the fetlock joint in the front leg. Also may refer to a fracture of the splint
bone. The cannon bone of the front leg is the third metacarpal.
metatarsal Cannon bone in the hind leg.
meter The basic unit of length in the metric system. It is equal to approximately 39.37
inches. It takes 100 centimeters to make a meter and 1,000 meters to make a kilometer.
To convert to inches, multiply by 39.37 (5 meters x 39.37 inches = 196.85 inches).
To convert to yards, multiply by 1.1 (5 meters x 1.1 = 5.5 yards). Most European
races are expressed in meters. A mile is approximately 1,600 meters, the distance
at which the classic Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (Fr-G1) and the Poule d’Essai des
Poulains (Fr-G1) are run. The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) is 2,400 meters, or
approximately 11⁄2 miles, the Prix Eugene Adam (Fr-G2) is 2,000 meters, or approximately
11⁄4 miles.
Michigan Sires Stakes USTA race
mid- No hyphen unless capitalized word follows. midterm, midstretch, midsummer, midMarch, mid-America, Mid-Atlantic region. Use a hyphen when mid- precedes a figure:
mid-1930s. Hyphenate only with proper nouns or numerals.
Mid-Atlantic See regions.
midbody (fracture) See sesamoids.
middle distance Broadly, from one mile to less than 11⁄4 miles.
middle initials A middle initial should be used in a name when the person commonly
uses the initial. John R. Gaines, John P. Moynihan, George W. Bush. See names, nicknames.
midstretch
Midwest
millennium
millions, billions Hyphenated when word replaces figures. 7,000,000 becomes 7-million.
Do not go beyond two decimals. 7.15-million people. See numbers.
mind-set
miniminus pool A negative mutuel pool created when a horse is so heavily played that,
after deductions of state tax and commission, not enough money remains to pay the
legally prescribed minimum on each winning bet. The racing association usually
makes up the difference.
mix-up
mm, 8mm camera
modifiers As a general rule, keep the modifier as close as possible to the word modified.
He only saw two stallions during his visit to Florida could mean, literally, that
he did absolutely nothing else—did not eat, sleep, drink beer, or go fishing—or, he
only saw the stallions and did not hear them, smell them, or touch them. He saw
only two stallions during his visit expresses the meaning much more clearly. Similarly,
The horse only won stakes after he was transferred to the Jacobs stable is
meaningless. Did he win only stakes after the transfer, or was it only after the transfer
that he won stakes? The horse won stakes only after he was transferred to the
Jacobs stable expresses the meaning much more clearly.
Mom (your mom)
mom (moms in general)
money Almost all European countries now use the euro. The euro is converted to U.S.
dollars in all editorial usage. When converting foreign money, always use conversion
rate for day of the transaction, or nearest date available. When converting on
an annual basis, such as a foreign horse’s earnings for a specific year, use average
conversion rate for the year. Conversion rates are available in the Wall Street Journal.
Only use appropriate amount of significant figures. A figure listed as 1.4-million
euros should not be converted past two significant figures: $1.2-million, not $1.19million. When used in conjunction with the word to, the first figure should reflect
the actual amount: $100,000 to $200,000, not $100 to $200,000; $10-million to $20million, not $10- to $20-million. See numbers.
moneymaker
money – Leave off .00 $10 not $10.00 Cowboy Publishing
money-earner, money-winner
money rider A rider who excels in rich races.
monkey-on-a-stick Type of riding with short stirrups popularized by riding great
James F. “Tod” Sloan shortly before 1900.
monorchid A male horse of any age that has only one testicle in his scrotum; the other
testicle was either removed or is undescended. See cryptorchid, ridgling.
months, dates – Abbreviate long months (Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec.), spell out
short months (March, April, May, June, July)
monthlong
moon blindness
more than – Don’t use “over” (More than 650,000 people attend the Congress.)
morning glory Horse that performs well in morning workouts but fails to reproduce
that form in races.
morning line Probable odds on each horse in a race, as determined by a mathematical
formula used by the track oddsmaker, who tries to gauge both the ability of the
horse and the likely final odds as determined by the bettors. More accurately, those
odds now should be expressed as the program-line odds, because they appear in
the track’s official program.
Mother Nature
motor home
mouth-piece
mph Acceptable abbreviation for miles per hour, without periods.
mucous (adj.), mucus (n.) A horse would have mucus in its lungs, but the mucous
lining would be irritated.
mud calks (n.) Special cleats that help a horse gain traction on a muddy track. See calk.
muddy (track) Condition of a racetrack that is wet but has no standing water.
mudder Horse that races well on muddy tracks. Also known as a mudlark.
Multi-Juristiction Licensing Program for Owners USTA
Murphy blind
musculoskeletal system Consisting of the bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and
joints of the head, vertebral column, and limbs, together with the associated muscles,
tendons, ligaments, and joints.
mushroom shoe
Mustache
mutuel field See entry.
mutuel pool Short for pari-mutuel pool. Sum of the wagers on a race or event, such
as the win pool, daily double pool, exacta pool, etc. See pari-mutuel.
muzzle 1) Nose and lips of a horse. 2) A guard placed over a horse’s mouth to prevent
it from biting or eating.
N
NBRA National Barrel Racing Association
NCHA, National Cutting Horse Association
NFR, National Finals Rodeo
NHSFR, National High School Finals Rodeo
NRCHA, National Reined Cow Horse Association
NRHA, National Reining Horse Association
NRHyA or NRHYA, National Reining Horse Youth Association
NRHA Futurity & North American Affiliate Championship Show
NRHA Derby or NRHA Derby Show
NRHA European Affiliate Championships
NSBA, National Snaffle Bit Association
NTRA, National Thoroughbred Racing Association
naïve
naivete
nameplate
names – second reference and later references first or second name varies by publication
name (of a Thoroughbred) Names of North American Thoroughbreds are registered
by the Jockey Club. They can be no longer than 18 characters, including punctuation
and spaces. The words the, and, by, for, in, and a are usually—but not always—
lowercase unless they are the first word in the name. For exact spelling, spacing,
and capitalization, check Registered Thoroughbred Names book published by the
Jockey Club or on the Jockey Club’s website, http://home.jockeyclub.com/.
names (people) In general, people are entitled to be known however they want to be
known as long as their identity is clear. Names that are derivations of given names
should be used when the person is commonly known by that name. Woody Stephens,
Charlie Whittingham, Wally Dollase, Will Farish. Foreign articles are lower case,
except at the beginning of a sentence. Charles de Gaulle. See also middle initials,
nicknames.
nasogastric tube A long tube that is capable of reaching from the nose to the stomach.
National Championship Standardbred Horse Show
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Building in Saratoga Springs, New
York, that houses a museum and a Hall of Fame. The National Museum of Racing
was founded in 1950. It had its first home in the old Canfield Casino, Congress Park,
Saratoga Springs. It moved to its present site in 1955, the same year the Hall of Fame
was created. See Racing Hall of Fame.
National Raceline
National Thoroughbred Association Started as concept of advertising agency executive
Fred Pope in early 1990s, with backing from owner-breeder John R. Gaines.
The NTA was based on the concept that owners possess rights to their horses’ images
for simulcasting purposes, with the owners banding together to form a major league
of racing through the pooling of simulcasting rights. Hamilton Jordan and Tim Smith
were brought in to help sell the concept in 1997, and the NTA initiative eventually
led to a broader industry coalition, the formation of the National Thoroughbred Racing
Association. NTA officially was folded into the NTRA in August 1998, with Fred
Pope being compensated for his intellectual property. The NTA was first proposed
by Fred Pope in a Guest Commentary in August 27, 1993, issue of THOROUGHBRED
TIMES.
National Thoroughbred Racing Association A not-for-profit association created by
a consensus of industry factions to market the sport. Founding members were
Breeders’ Cup Ltd., the Jockey Club, Keeneland Association, and Oak Tree Racing
Association, with each putting up $1-million in seed money. Before officially launching
the office, the National Thoroughbred Association became a founding member
when it ceased its existence and was rolled into the NTRA. In 2000, the Thoroughbred
Owners and Breeders Association retroactively became a founding member.
The NTRA first proposed a business plan to the industry in August 1997. The NTRA
officially opened for business on April 1, 1998. Its first commissioner was Tim Smith.
D. G. Van Clief Jr. of Breeders’ Cup Ltd. acted as interim chief executive officer of
the NTRA in its formative stages. The NTRA formally merged many of its administrative
functions with Breeders’ Cup Ltd. on January 1, 2001.
nationwide
navicular bone A small, flat bone within the confines of the hoof that helps—along
with the short pastern bone and the coffin bone—to make up the coffin joint.
navicular disease A degenerative disease that affects the navicular bone (small bone
in the back of the foot), navicular bursa, and deep flexor tendon. Generally considered
a disease of the front feet. Both front feet are often affected, but one will usually
be more noticeable than the other.
naysayer
near side Left side of a horse. Side on which a horse is mounted.
neatsfoot oil
neck Unit of measurement. About the length of a horse’s neck; a little less than a quarter
of a length.
Necropsy
Neiman Marcus
nerving See neurectomy.
neurectomy A surgical procedure in which the nerve supply to the navicular area is
removed. The toe and remainder of the foot retain feeling. Also referred to as posterior
digital neurectomy or heel nerve. Also known as nerving.
neuromuscular
newspaper names Italicize only the name of the paper, not the location. New York
Times.
New Jersey Sire Stakes USTA race
New Year’s resolution
New York City
New York state
New York Sire Stakes USTA race
newspaper, magazine names – Italicize when possible. If unable to italicize, then underline.
Nez Perce stake race – ApHC, capitalize name not event
nicknames A nickname should be used in place of a person’s given name in news stories
only when it is the way an individual prefers to be known and is a derivation of
a given name. Jimmy Carter, Wally Dollase, Woody Stephens, Charlie Whittingham,
Kenny Noe. When a nickname is inserted into the identification of an individual, use
quotation marks for first reference. Frank E. “Jimmy” Kilroe. Quotation marks may
be omitted in further references. See middle initials, names.
Nicole Hudock Memorial USTA race
night, not nite
night eyes See chestnuts.
nighttime
night watchman
No. 1 not number one, Cowboy Publishing Group
nod Lowering of head. To win by a nod, a horse extends its head with its nose crossing
the finish line ahead of a close competitor.
nom de course Name adopted by an owner or group of owners for racing purposes.
Its use is archaic and probably best avoided. The phrase racing as is a suitable substitute.
nominator One who owns a horse at the time it is named to compete in a stakes race
or makes it eligible to a stakes program such as the Breeders’ Cup.
nonaggressive
nonetheless
nonhorseperson
nonmembers – Most “nonwords” are one word.
nonprofit or not-for-profit Not-for-profit is preferred.
non-pro – hyphenate
nonrider
non sequiturs If there is no logical connection between two thoughts, do not imply
one.
nonsteroidal
non-sweater See anhydrosis.
no one
North
North American Affiliate Championships (NAAC) – NRHA
North American Affiliate Regional Finals (NRHA)
North America Cup – USTA race
North American Pari-Mutuel Regulators Association Organization founded in
1997 as a splinter group from the Association of Racing Commissioners International
due to philosophical differences in practices and policies. NAPRA’s original
members were Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Oregon,
Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Website:
www.napraonline.com
North American Standardbred Owners & Breeders Alliance
North American Harness Publicists Association
Northern Hemisphere
nose Smallest advantage a horse can win by. Called a short head in Britain.
Noseband, nose band A leather strap that goes over the bridge of a horse’s nose to help
secure
the bridle. A figure-eight nose band goes over the bridge of the nose and under the
rings of the bit to help to keep the horse’s mouth closed. The figure-eight nose band
keeps the tongue from sliding up over the bit and is used on horses that do not like
having a tongue tie used.
not-for-profit Not-for-profit is preferred over nonprofit.
number Writers always should take care that the subject of a sentence agrees with the
verb. A singular subject requires a singular verb, and a plural subject requires a plural
verb. Correct: A horse’s attitude and performance are consistent with its overall
health. Incorrect sentence A full gate of horses are not necessary for an exciting
race. The subject of the sentence is gate, which is singular, so the verb should be is
rather than are. The noun closest to the verb is not necessarily the subject of the
sentence and may in fact be the object of a preposition modifying the subject. When
or connects compound subjects, the noun closest to verb determines its tense. Collective
nouns and pronouns take plural verbs. All were imbibing. His first crop are
now yearlings. Another problem of number involves a singular noun and a subsequent
reference. Incorrect: Churchill Downs has done a good job of keeping their
races filled. Correct: Churchill Downs has done a good job of keeping its races filled.
numerals Spell out all whole numbers from zero through ten, and use Arabic numerals
for 11 and greater. For large numbers that must be spelled out at the beginning of a
sentence, use a hyphen to connect a word ending in a y to another word; do not use
commas between other separate words that are part of that number. twenty; thirty-one;
one hundred forty-three; one thousand one hundred fifty-five.
Never use numerals to designate the mile classic races in Europe. One Thousand
Guineas, Two Thousand Guineas.
For amounts exceeding 1,000,000 but rounded off to units of 100,000, spell out million
(or billion, etc.) with hyphen. 50-million, $1-million, $36.4-million.
CIPHERS: Never use to begin a sentence. Fifteen horses went to the post, not 15 horses
went to the post. Try to avoid using “A total of” to get around this rule. A total of 843
horses were sold by Fasig-Tipton Co. Rather, Fasig-Tipton Co. sold 843 horses at an
auction. The only exception is a year: 1976 was a good year.
To avoid confusion, it is preferable to use numerals instead of words spelled out when
employing units of measurement as adjectives. The 11⁄2-mile Belmont Stakes is easier
to read and grasp than the one-and-a-half-mile Belmont Stakes.
See billion, hyphens, million, poles.
nurse mare. nurse mares
nut case
O
Oaks A stakes event for three-year-old fillies loosely patterned after England’s Epsom
Oaks and usually the most important race for that sex and age group at a given
track.
oberbereiter – Dressage Today, chief rider
objection Claim of foul lodged by rider, patrol judge, or other official after the running
of a race. If lodged by an official, it is called an inquiry. See inquiry.
oblique (fracture) Fracture at an angle.
occurred, occurrence, occurring
OC – Organizing Committee, hosting group (NRHA)
OCD lesion (osteochondritis dissecans) A cartilaginous or bony lesion that is the
result of a fragment of cartilage and its underlying bone becoming detached from
an articular surface. The lesions occur commonly in the knee joint and are associated
with a failure in bone development.
odd-distance racing
odds-on Odds of less than even money.
odds Always hyphenated with “to” in the middle, as in 10-to-1. Use the exact odds
rather than the approximate odds. 2.20-to-1 as opposed to the approximate 2-to-1.
In headlines, subheads, and cutlines, it is acceptable to use approximate odds, such
as 18-to-1 instead of 18.80-to-1. Use commonly known and understood odds instead
of odds expressed in hundreds of a dollar. The following is courtesy of Thoroughbred Times:
If the odds on the chart read:
In the story, use:
.05-1
1-to-20
.10-1
1-to-10
.20-1
1-to-5
.30-1
3-to-10
.40-1
2-to-5
.50-1
1-to-2
.60-1
3-to-5
.70-1
7-to-10
.80-1
4-to-5
.90-1
9-to-10
1.00-1
even money (1-to-1)
1.10-1
11-to-10
1.20-1
6-to-5
1.40-1
7-to-5
1.60-1
8-to-5
1.80-1
9-to-5
2.00-1
2-to-1
2.50-1
5-to-2
3.00-1
3-to-1
3.50-1
7-to-2
4.00-1
4-to-1
4.50-1
9-to-2
5.00-1
5-to-1
oddsmaker The individual who prepares the program line for a track. This individual
is not a handicapper, who usually is the track’s racing secretary and assigns weights
in handicap races.
off form
off guard
official 1) Notice displayed when a race result is confirmed. 2) Used to denote a racing
official. When describing officers of a corporation or other organization, the
words “official” or “officials” take the preposition “of.” Do not use the preposition
“from” because it is not specific. For instance, “Officials of Churchill Downs said ...”
Better yet, eliminate the preposition—“Churchill Downs officials said ...”
off-line Lowercase and hyphenated.
off-season
off side Right side of horse. See near side.
offstride
offspring
off track Two words when referring to a racing surface other than fast.
off-track Hyphenated when referring to wagering.
off-track betting Wagering at legalized betting outlets usually run by the tracks, management
companies specializing in pari-mutuel wagering, or, in New York state, by
independent corporations chartered by the state. Wagers at OTB sites are usually commingled
with on-track betting pools. Can be abbreviated OTB on second reference.
Ohio Sires Stakes – USTA race
oiled (oiling) Administration of mineral oil via nasogastric tube to relieve gas or to
break a blockage. Preventative procedure commonly used in long van rides to prevent
impaction with subsequent colics. See colic.
OK, OK’d (not okay)
old-time, old-timer, old times
one-sided
one-tempi ( when adjective) Dressage Today
one time, one-time He did it one time. She is a one-time friend.
ongoing
online, on-line – varies by publication
Ontario Sires Stakes USTA race
on the bit When a horse is eager to run. Also known as in the bridle.
on the board Finishing among the first three. Hyphenated when used as an adjective,
as in an off-the-board finish.
on the muscle Denotes a fit horse.
on the nose Betting a horse to win only.
on track (n.)
on-track (adj.)
on-track attendance
open
Open. Non-Pro – Horses listed first in open, rider in Non-Pro stories. Capitalize only as a
formal division in an event, not as category of rider, Open Division of the Super Stakes.
Cowboy Publishing Group
open fracture See compound fracture.
open knee A condition of young horses in which the physis of the knee has not closed;
an immature knee. Often used to describe the status of the physis immediately above
the knee and is an indicator of long bone growth in two-year-olds.
optional claiming A claiming race in which there is an option to have horses entered
to be claimed for a stated price or not eligible to be claimed. See claiming race.
organizations Use complete name on first reference. Acronyms may be used in subsequent
references to most widely known organizations. Abbreviations do not include
periods. HBPA, NTRA. See abbreviations, acronyms.
Orsi Mangelli – USTA race
osselet See arthritis.
osteoarthritis A permanent form of arthritis with progressive loss of the articular cartilage
in a joint. See degenerative joint disease.
OTB Abbreviation for off-track betting on second reference. See off-track betting.
ounce
outcross When a horse has no inbreeding, especially within the first five generations.
out of – (mare or mare’s name) to indicate dam
out of the money A horse that finishes worse than third.
outride - Dressage Today
outtrain - Dressage Today
overaggressive
overanxious
over at the knee A leg that looks like it has a forward arc with its center at the knee
when viewed from the side.
overbreeding
overcheck A strap that holds the bit in place.
overgirth An elastic band that goes completely around a horse and over the saddle, to
keep the saddle from slipping.
over-reaching Toe of hind shoe striking the forefoot or foreleg.
overland, overland route Racing wide throughout, outside other horses.
overlay A horse going off at higher odds than it appears to warrant based on its past
performances.
overnight A sheet published by the racing secretary’s office listing the entries for an
upcoming racing card.
overnight race A race in which entries close a specific number of hours before running
(such as 48 hours) and does not require an entry fee, as opposed to a stakes
race for which nominations close weeks and sometimes months in advance and usually
requires a monetary payment for a horse to be eligible. See stakes race.
overtrain
over-trotted
overo
overoil (ed/ing) - Dressage Today
overreach
overtrack (verby) - Dressage Today
overweight Excess weight carried by a horse when the rider cannot make the required
weight. See added weight.
owner/breeder
owner/driver
oxbow
oxer
P
“P” license
P3 Third phalanx. See coffin bone.
Ph.D
pacesetter The horse that is running in front (on the lead)
pacesetting
Pacing Triple Crown
pack horse
PAC Paint Alternative Competition
PCCHA, Pacific Coast Cutting Horse Association
paddle See toe-in.
paddock 1) Area where horses are saddled and paraded before being taken onto the
track. 2) Field on a farm where horses are turned out to graze.
paddock judge Official in charge of paddock and saddling routine.
painkiller
paint Counterirritant used to increase blood supply and blood flow and to promote
healing in the leg. A mild form of blistering.
Paint Breed of horse.
Paint-O-Rama
palmer Back of the front limb from the knee down.
PalmPilot
Palm Meadows Training Center
palomino
Pan-American - Dressage Today
panel A slang term for a furlong.
paperwork
parentheses Sets off material or an element of a sentence. It is not the custom (at least
in the areas mentioned) to stand at attention.
Where location identification is needed but is not part of the official name. The
Springfield (Ohio) Historical Society.
Never used parentheses within parentheses. The parenthetical remark should have
brackets around if contained in a sentence already in parentheses. (Blushing
Groom [Fr] is a great sire.)
Do use around political-geographical designations. Senator Theodore Francis Green
(D-Rhode Island) and Representative Charles A. Halleck (R-Indiana) were invited.
Half parentheses set off letters or figures in a series. The order of importance will
be a) general acceptance, b) costs, and c) opposition.
When part of a sentence is parenthetical and the punctuation mark comes at the
end of the sentence, the punctuation goes outside the parentheses. He habitually
uses two words incorrectly (practical and practicable).
If the material within parentheses is a complete sentence, the punctuation mark
goes inside. (The foregoing was taken from an essay.)
If you have several paragraphs of parenthetical matter, use the opening parenthesis
on each paragraph and only use the ending parenthesis on the final paragraph
with the punctuation inside. However, extended parenthetical matter should be
avoided.
Used with country codes. Erins Isle (Ire). See country codes.
Used with grade or group race designations. Kentucky Derby (G1), English Two
Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1). See graded races, group races, numbers.
pari-mutuel A form of wagering originated in 1865 by Frenchman Pierre Oller in
which all money bet is divided up among those who have winning tickets after taxes, takeout,
and other deductions are made. Oller called his system perier mutuel, meaning
mutual stake or betting among ourselves. As this wagering method was adopted
in England, it became known as Paris mutuals, and later as pari-mutuels.
parish Capitalize as part of a formal name of a church congregation or a governmental
jurisdiction. St. John’s Parish, Jefferson Parish.
parlay A multirace bet in which all winnings are subsequently wagered on a succeeding
race.
parrot mouth A horse with an extreme overbite.
Part Used by the International Cataloguing Standards Committee to separate races
from different countries for sales-cataloging purposes. Races of Part I countries
(Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland,
Italy, New Zealand, Peru, South Africa, and the United States. In addition, certain
races in Hong Kong, Japan, Scandinavia, and United Arab Emirates are accepted
for black-type and graded purposes. Races of Part II countries (Belgium, Hong
Kong [except Part I races], India, Japan [except Japan Cup], Malaysia, Mexico, Panama,
Puerto Rico, Scandinavia [except Part I races], Singapore, Spain, United Arab
Emirates [except Part I races], Uruguay, and Venezuela) are accepted for black-type
purposes only, with no grade or group designators. Races of Part III countries (all
others) are not accepted for cataloging purposes.
part time, part-time Hyphenate when used as compound modifier. He works part
time. She has a part-time job.
part wheel Using a key horse or horses in different, but not all possible, exotic wagering
combinations. See wheel.
party affiliation – When referring to a legislator, follow with party abbreviation and city. Use
state abbreviation if not from your state.
Pas de deux – Dressage Today
Pasade – Dressage Today
pass out
passage
pasteboard track A lightning-fast racing surface.
past performances A horse’s racing record, earnings, bloodlines, and other data, presented
in composite form.
past-performance Hyphenated when used as a modifier.
past-performance lines
pastern (bones) The area between the fetlock joint and the hoof. The joint between
the long and short pastern bones is called the pastern joint. Can also be used to
describe the area of the limb or to describe a specific bone—long pastern bone. Technically
known as the P1 (long) and P2 (short).
patrol judges Officials who observe the progress of a race from various vantage points
around the track.
pattern No. 6 (reining)
pattern race See group.
pay dirt
payoff (n.)
pay off (v.)
pawing
PtHA, Pinto Horse Association of America
PRCA – Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
pedal bone See coffin bone.
pedigrees When giving the pedigree of a horse, the generally accepted form is by
(sire) out of (dam), by (broodmare sire). Dashes can be used between sire and dam
in editorial matter containing numerous pedigree references if the simplification
makes the article easier to understand. Generally, though, try to avoid the use of the
dash.
Pennsylvania Sire Stakes – USTA race
per capita
perfecta See exacta.
Performance Rates An objective measure of racetrack performance used by THOROUGHBRED
TIMES based on data supplied by the Jockey Club. Performance Rates are a rating of all
starters based on beaten lengths—who beat whom and by how
much—with some adjustments made to standardize beaten distances to account
for horses that are not pressured or eased in large fields. First published in The
Thoroughbred Record in the 1960s.
performance horse
periodical names In those containing place names, the place is never italicized. New
York Times, Washington Post.
periods Used after a declarative or imperative sentence. The facing is Vermont marble.
Shut the door. Tell how it was done.
Used for ellipsis (...). When the ellipsis falls in the middle of a sentence, it requires
a space both before and after it. The combine ... was secure. When the ellipsis
comes between two sentences, a period ends the sentence followed by three periods
and a space before the start of the next sentence. Williams got the starring
role. ... John Hay signed a new contract. See ellipsis.
Used in some abbreviations. U.S., U.N.
Separates integer and decimal. 3.75%; $8.25; 1.25 meters.
Omitted after a letter casually used as a name. A said to B that he was not watching.
periostitis Inflammation of the tissue (periosteum) that overlies bone. Periostitis of
the cannon bone is referred to as bucked shins, while periostitis of the splint bone
is called a splint, which may be expressed as popped a splint.
perlino
percent – Use varies by publication. Spells out: Appaloosa Journal, Dressage Today,
pesade - Dressage Today
phenylbutazone See Bute. Common noun, generic name for the drug, lowercase (but
Bute and Butazolidin).
phosphorous (adjective)
phosphorus (noun)
photo credits Name of person goes first followed by word photo for description of
photographer: John Crofts photo. Exception is Photo by Z.
photo finish Two words. A result so close it is necessary to use the finish-line camera
to determine the order of finish.
photo-finish camera
photo sizes
physis Plural is physes. The growth plate at the end of the long bones (such as the
cannon bone) that lets the bone grow in length.
piaffe - Dressage Today
pick (six or other number) A type of multirace wager in which the winners of all the
included races must be selected. Pick three (sometimes called the daily triple), pick
six, and pick nine are commonly used by tracks in the United States. The numerals
associated with pick are spelled out and not hyphenated. She won the pick six.
pickup (truck)
pill Small numbered ball used in a blind draw to decide post positions.
pinched back A horse forced back when racing in close quarters, particularly on turns.
pinched-in - Dressage Today
pin firing Thermocautery used to increase blood flow to the leg intended to promote
healing.
pingpong A synonym for table tennis. The trademark name is Ping-Pong.
pinhook
pinhooker A person who buys a racehorse prospect with the intention of reselling it
at a profit. Examples are weanling-to-yearling pinhookers and yearling-to-juvenile
pinhookers.
Pinto
pipe-opener Exercise at a brisk speed.
pirouette - Dressage Today
place Second position at finish.
place bet Wager on a horse to finish first or second.
placenta
places (names of) See abbreviations.
placing judge Official who posts the order of finish in a race.
plain-spoken
plantar Pertaining to the sole of the foot or back of the hind limb from the hock down.
plantar ligament The large ligament that is below and behind the hock joint.
plate(s) 1) A prize for a winner. Usually less valuable than a cup. 2) Generic term for
lightweight horseshoes, usually made of aluminum, that are used during a race.
plater Vernacular for a claiming horse.
plurals and possessives THOROUGHBRED TIMES style is to add an “s” to nouns to form the
singular possessive instead of just the apostrophe. Churchill Downs’s fall season
of racing. THOROUGHBRED TIMES’S annual party. Plural farm and stable names are treated as
plural possessives. Christiana Stables’ Linkage, Juddmonte Farms’ Eltish.
To designate a decade, add s 1980s, not 1980’s. Add ’s to make any singular noun
possessive regardless of final consonant. Add ’ to make a plural noun possessive.
See chart below for examples.
Singular
Plural
Singular possessive
Plural possessive
dog
dogs
dog’s
dogs’
bus
buses
bus’s
buses’
Phipps
Phippses
Phipps’s
Phippses’
p.m. Lowercase with periods. See a.m.
pocket A position in a race with horses in front and alongside.
point(s) of call A horse’s position at various locations on the racetrack where its running
position is noted on a chart. The locations vary with the distance of the race.
pole(s) Markers at measured distances around the track designating the distance from
the finish. The quarter pole, for instance, is one-quarter mile from the finish line,
not from the start. Use sixteenth pole, eighth pole, three-sixteenths pole, quarter
pole, five-sixteenths pole, three-eighths pole, half-mile pole, etc.
pole bending
poll The top of the head between the ears.
pony Any horse or pony that leads the parade of the field from paddock to starting gate.
Also, a horse or pony that accompanies a horse to the starting gate. Also can be used
as a verb. He was ponied to the gate. Also known as a lead pony.
pool See mutuel pool.
popped a splint See periostitis.
possessives (multiple) When an object or horse has more than one owner and those
owners are identified in a story, the possessive form should be used with each name.
John Toffan’s and Trudy McCaffery’s Free House finished second in the 1997 Preakness
Stakes (G1). AP style does not insist upon the first name carrying a possessive,
but omitting the possessive leaves the first name with no connection to the subject,
in this case Free House. An alternative is to rewrite Free House, owned by John Toffan
and Trudy McCaffery, finished second in the 1997 Preakness Stakes (G1).
possessive (with preposition of) AP style also permits the construction, She is a
friend of Sally’s as well as She’s a friend of Sally. The latter construction is preferred
because the word “of” communicates the possessive or quasi-possessive nature of
the relationship.
post (n.) 1) Starting point for a race. The horses went to the post. 2) An abbreviated version
of post position. He drew post four. (v.) 3) To record a win. He has posted ten wins in 14
starts.
posting
post position
posterior Situated behind or toward the rear.
postgame (adj.)
post parade Horses going from paddock to starting gate past the stands.
postpartum
post position Position of stall in starting gate from which a horse starts.
post-race (adj.)
post-sale (adj.)
post time Designated time for a race to start.
Potomac horse fever
pound English pound sign should be avoided. Convert money to U.S. dollars.
powwow
pre-entries or pre-entry
preferred list Horses with prior rights to starting, usually because they have previously
been entered in races that have not filled with the minimum number of starters
or they have been excluded from races that drew an excess of entries.
prefixes, suffixes Generally do not hyphenate when using a prefix with a word starting
with a consonant. Four rules are constant, although they yield some exceptions
to first-listed spellings in Webster’s New World Dictionary.
— Avoid double vowels. Except for cooperate and coordinate, use a hyphen if the
prefix ends in a vowel and the word that follows begins with the same vowel
(pre-entries; pre-empt; anti-intellectual).
— Use a hyphen if the word that follows is capitalized (un-American).
— Use a hyphen to join doubled prefixes (sub-subparagaph).
— Use a hyphen with suffixes to avoid triple consonants (shell-like).
Some of the general rules for prefixes and suffixes:
all (prefix) hyphenated all-time (adj.).
ante, anti (prefix) solid: antebellum, antiaircraft; except with proper noun, when
it is hyphenated, anti-American, etc.
bi (prefix) solid: biennial, bifocal.
co (prefix) : See co-.
down (prefix and suffix) solid: downstroke, touchdown.
ex (prefix) hyphenated: ex-champion.
extra (prefix) solid: extraterritorial.
fold (suffix) solid: twofold, threefold.
goer (suffix) solid: churchgoer, racegoer.
in (prefix) solid: insufferable.
infra (prefix) solid: infrared.
inter (prefix) solid: intertrack.
intra (prefix) solid: intrastate, intramural.
multi (prefix) solid: multimillion, multifaceted, multirace, but multi-international.
non (prefix) solid: nonpartisan, nonsupport, nonprofit; but hyphenated with proper
nouns, non-Thoroughbred, non-European. Also hyphenated with words that
are already hyphenated non-pari-mutuel.
out (prefix) solid: outsprint, outclass.
over (prefix and suffix) solid: overcome, pushover.
post (prefix) solid: postwar, postgame (but it is post-race, post-sale, post-mortem).
pre (prefix) solid: predetermined, prerace, presale; but pre-entry.
self (prefix) hyphenated: self-defense, self-interest.
semi (prefix) solid: semiannual.
sub (prefix) solid: subzero, substandard.
super (prefix) solid: superabundance, superfecta.
trans (prefix) solid: transatlantic, transcontinental; but hyphenated with proper
nouns of country, trans-Canada.
tri (prefix) solid: trifocal.
ultra (prefix) solid: ultraviolet.
un (prefix) solid: unshaven, unnecessary, but hyphenated with proper noun un-
American.
under (prefix) solid: undercover.
wide (suffix) solid: worldwide, nationwide.
premier First in status or order.
premiere A first performance.
prep (race) A workout (or race) used to prepare a horse for a future engagement.
prepositional pileup “... a government of the people, by the people, and for the
people ...” A succession of prepositional phrases worked for Abraham Lincoln as
a rhetorical device in the Gettysburg Address, probably because of the repeated
word, but it rarely if ever works for narrative writers. Here is an example of a prepositional
pileup “... of the momentum of the upward trend in the Thoroughbred marketplace...” This
could have been rewritten as “... of the Thoroughbred marketplace’s
upward momentum ...” and retain the writer’s intention. Prepositional pileups
slow the reader and are highly passive and ponderous. Three prepositional
phrases in a row are intolerable, and two are questionable. Rewrite to make the
sentence more direct.
prepurchase – one word, no hyphen
prerace
presale
president Capitalize as a formal title before one or more names. President Clinton, Presidents
Ford and Carter, Maryland Jockey Club President Joe De Francis. Lowercase all other uses. He
is running for president of the breeders association. Joe De Francis, president of the Maryland
Jockey Club. See capitalization, President.
President When referring to the incumbent President of the United States, the word
is always capitalized. The President said he knows nothing about Whitewater.
press
press box
preventive
pre-vet
prime time
prince Capitalized only when used with a name. Prince Khalid Abdullah. Lukas said he
had not yet consulted with the prince on the mare’s next race.
principal (n. and adj.) Someone or something in first rank, authority, importance, or
degree. She is the school principal. He was the principal player.
principle A fundamental truth, law, doctrine, or motivating force. They fought for the
principle of self-determination.
printout
Prix St. Georges - Dressage Today
prize money
pro- Use a hyphen when coining words that denote support for something. pro-labor,
pro-peace, pro-business.
pro-active
produce
profanity THOROUGHBRED TIMES policy bars profanity and obscenity in its pages, either in
narrative or in quotations. Mild, common expletives such as hell and damn may
be used in quoted matter at the discretion of the editor. Do not alter quotations, such
as changing damn to darn.
program line Probable odds on each horse in a race, as determined by a mathematical
formula used by the track odds maker, who tries to gauge both the ability
of the horse and the likely final odds as determined by the bettors. These odds are
published in the track’s official program and formerly were known as the morning
line.
prop When a horse suddenly stops moving by digging its front feet into the ground.
pro rodeo
ProRodeo Hall of Fame
proselytize
proximal Toward the body; the proximal cannon region is the upper portion of the
cannon bone.
public trainer One whose services are not exclusively engaged by a single stable and
who accepts horses from a number of owners.
pulled suspensory Suspensory ligament injury (suspensory desmitis) in which some
portion of the fibers of the ligament have been disrupted and some loss of support
of the distal limb may have occurred.
pull up To stop or slow a horse during or after a race or workout.
punctuation See ampersands, apostrophes, brackets, bullets, colons, commas,
dashes, ellipsis, exclamation points, hyphens, parentheses, periods, questions
marks, quotation marks, semicolons, slashes.
purebred
purse The total monetary amount distributed after a race to the owners of the entrants
finishing in the top positions, usually five. Some racing jurisdictions may pay purse
money through other places.
push-button (adj.)
purebred
Q
quarantine barn 1) A U.S. Department of Agriculture structure used to isolate foreign
horses for a short period of time to ensure they are not carrying any diseases.
The structure may be at a racetrack, airport, or specially designated facility. Horses
must be cleared by a federal veterinarian before being released from quarantine.
2) Any facility used to keep infected horses away from the general equine population.
quarter boots
quarter crack A crack of the hoof between the toe and heel, usually extending into
the coronary band.
Quarter Horse Breed of horses. See breeds.
a quarter-interest
quarter-mile
quarterline - Dressage Today
quarter pole
queen Capitalized only when used with a name. Queen Elizabeth II. On her most recent
visit to the United States, the queen visited Lane’s End.
queen mother Mother of the reigning monarch.
question marks Follows a direct question. What happened to Jones?
Queen’s Plate shoe
quick-hitch harness
quinella Wager in which the first two finishers must be picked in either order.
quotation marks Punctuation marks are used to enclose: Direct quotations. Phrases in ironical
uses, around slang expressions, misnomers. This should be used sparingly.
Titles of short poems, short stories, short essays, songs, short musical compositions,
chapters of a book, television programs, articles in publications, and departments
in THOROUGHBRED TIMES such as “Viewpoint” or “Veterinary Topics.”
Italics are used for names of movies, books, long poems, etc. Full a full list, see
italics, titles.
Nicknames apart from the name. “Cowboy Jack” Kaenel, “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons.
See nicknames.
In quoted matter of more than one paragraph, use the opening quotation marks on
each paragraph and only use the ending quotation marks on the final paragraph.
Avoid placing quotation marks around single words or short phrases in a sentence,
as in Truman said he was “delighted” to be in the winner’s circle. In this case, the
quotation marks can be eliminated.
Use close-quote marks at the end of a paragraph if the quoted material does not
constitute
a full sentence. For example: He said he was “shocked and horrified by the
incident.” (new paragraph) “I am so horrified, in fact, that I will ask for the death
penalty.” See AP Stylebook punctuation guide for further examples and explanation.
If you have a quoted sentence or part of a sentence within text you are already quoting,
the second quote should have single quotation marks surrounding it. If the
second quote is at the end of the primary quote, you should put ending punctuation,
single quote, space, and double quotation marks. John Smith said “I was
having a really good time watching the race until my brother said, ‘That was your
horse that broke down.’ ”
Conventions governing the use of quotation marks with other forms of punctuation
are as follows:
a) The comma and the period are always enclosed within quotation marks.
b) The colon and semicolon are never enclosed within quotation marks.
c) The dash, question mark, and exclamation mark are enclosed within quotation
marks if they apply to the quoted material. They are placed after the quotation
marks if they apply to the whole sentence. “Am I going too?” she asked. Did
she say, “I am going too”?
In headlines, quoted material is enclosed in single quotation mark.
quotes THOROUGHBRED TIMES policy is to leave direct quotations as is. If it is not a direct
quote, or if there is a problem with a quote and it needs to be changed, do not enclose in
quotation marks.
R
RHSF, Reining Horse Sports Foundation, supporting organization to the sport of reining
RNA, reserve not attained
ROM – Register of Merit
RRs – Reining Rules (NRHA)
rabbit A speed horse running as an entry with another, who is usually a come-frombehind
horse. The rabbit is expected to set a fast pace to help the chances of its stablemate.
race book (n.) Hyphenated when used as a modifier (race-book).
race bike
race call
racecaller
racecalling
race card
racecourse One word. Except in specific names, such as Calder Race Course.
race day (n.)
race dates
race day
race fixing (n.)
race-fixing (adj.)
racegoer
Race for Education National education scholarship foundation funded by various parties
related to or with an interest in the Thoroughbred racing industry. It is a nonprofit
501-C 3 organization established to improve the quality of life for farm and
track workers through education, attract younger, better educated individuals to
careers in the Thoroughbred industry and help establish the racing industry as a
good citizen in the community. Website is www.racingforeducation.org.
racehorse
race lines
racemare
race mark
race names Full name must be given on first mention of a stakes race, followed by
country code and grade (if applicable), after which abbreviations or Americanization
is permitted. Metropolitan Handicap (G1), then Metropolitan or Met Mile, Prix de
l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1), then Arc de Triomphe or Arc. Prix du Jockey-Club (FrG1) (French Derby), then Jockey-Club or French Derby. Races must be specified as
either Stakes or Handicap, with exceptions including Derbys and Breeders’ Cup
races. With the exception of races bearing the names of Thoroughbred industry
participants and the races run at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby (G1) week,
names of sponsors are not used in reporting stakes results in either the race report
or the stakes section. See graded races, group races, sponsorship.
race records Spell out numbers under (and including) ten and avoid hyphenations.
He won two of three starts, not 2-of-3. He won ten races in 32 lifetime starts with three
seconds and six thirds. See hyphens.
race-off
race riding (n.)
race-riding (adj.)
race stock
race-timed
racetrack
racetrack
racetracker
racetrack names
Agua Caliente
Ak-Sar-Ben
Aqueduct
Arapahoe Park
Arlington Park
Ascot Park
Assiniboia Downs
Atlantic City Race Course
Balmoral Park
Bandera Downs
Bay Meadows Race Course
Belmont Park
Birmingham Race Course
Bluegrass Downs
Bowie Race Course
Calder Race Course
Centennial Race Track
Churchill Downs
Columbus Races
Connaught Park
Del Mar
Delta Downs
Dover Downs
Downs at Santa Fe
El Comandante
Emerald Downs
Evangeline Downs
Fair Grounds
Fairmount Park
Finger Lakes
Fontwell Park
Garden State Park
Grants Pass Downs
Great Lakes Downs
Gulfstream Park
Havre de Grace
Hazel Park
Hipodromo de las Americas
Hoosier Park
Horsemen’s Park
Jamaica racetrack
Keeneland Race Course
Keystone Race Track
Lamballe
Laurel Park
Liberty Bell Park
Lincoln Fieldsq
Longacres
Louisiana Downs
Marlboro racetrack
Marshfield Fair
Monmouth Park
Mt. Pleasant Meadows
Northlands Park
Oak Tree at Santa Anita
Oriental Park
Philadelphia Park
Playfair Race Course
Pocono Downs
Portland Meadows
Prescott Downs
Retama Park
River Downs
Ruidoso Downs
Sam Houston Race Park
Santa Anita Park
Sportsman’s Park
Suffolk Downs
Sunland Park
Bel Air racetrack
Beulah Park
Blue Bonnets
Blue Ribbon Downs
Cahokia Downs
Canterbury Park
Charles Town Races
Colonial Downs
Commodore Downs
Dade Park
Delaware Park
Detroit Race Course
Downs at Albuquerque
Dueling Grounds Racecourse
Ellis Park
Empire City
Exhibition Park
Fair Meadows at Tulsa
Fairplex Park
Fonner Park
Fort Erie
Golden Gate Fields
Great Barrington Fair
Greenwood
Hastings Race Course
Hawthorne Race Course
Hialeah Park
Hollywood Park
Horsemen’s Atokad Downs
Indiana Downs
Jefferson Downs
Kentucky Downs
La Mesa Park
Latonia Race Course
Les Bois Park
Lincoln Downs
Lone Star Park
Los Alamitos Race Course
Manor Downs
Marquis Downs
Meadowlands
Mountaineer Race Track
Narragansett Park
Oaklawn Park
Ocala Training Center
Penn National Race Course
Pimlico Race Course
Pocatello Downs
Pompano Park
Prairie Meadows Racetrack
Remington Park
Rillito Park
Rockingham Park
Rupert Downs
Sandown Park
Saratoga Race Course
Stampede Park
Sun Downs
SunRay Park
Sunshine Park
Tampa Bay Downs
Tanforan
Thistledown
Timonium
Trinity Meadows (now Squaw Creek Downs)
Tropical Park
Turf Paradise
Turfway Park
Victoria Park
Waterford Park
Washington Park
Wheeling Downs
Will Rogers Downs
Woodbine
Woodlands
Wyoming Downs
Yakima Meadows Race Course
Yavapai Downs
Yellowstone Downs
Racing Hall of Fame Founded in 1955. Members are elected to the Racing Hall of
Fame, not the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, which is a building in
Saratoga Springs, New York. “Racing” can be dropped on second reference. See
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. See Appendix C for a list of
all members. Use Hall of Fame in subsequent references.
Racing Index Racing Index (RI) is based on the average earnings per start for all runners
in the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, France, Italy, Germany, Puerto
Rico, and the United Arab Emirates. RI is determined by calculating the average
earnings per start, divided into males and females, of all starters in each individual
country, and the average for each individual year is by definition 1.00. Median RI,
however, is much lower. See Sire Index, Broodmare Sire Index.
racing secretary Official who drafts conditions of races and assigns weights for handicap
events.
Racing Under Saddle USTA
radiograph The picture or image on film generated by X rays.
Ragozin numbers, Ragozin figures, Ragozin speed figures System developed
some 50 years ago by Len Ragozin that measures how fast every horse has run
when taking into account such factors as track condition, surface, depth of track,
distance raced off the rail, weight carried, and wind speed and direction. System
assigns a number. A lower number represents a stronger effort.
rail The barrier on either side of the racing strip. Sometimes referred to as the fence.
rail runner Horse that prefers to run next to the inside rail.
ranch hand
rank A horse that refuses to settle under a jockey’s handling in a race, running in a
headstrong manner without respect to pace.
Rangeland
rattle Noun used to describe a horse that likes a firm turf course. He likes to hear his
feet rattle.
RCI See Association of Racing Commissioners International.
rear end
rearing
receiving barn Structure used to house horses shipping in for a race on a specific day.
Horses trained on farms or at training centers often will be placed in the receiving
barn until their races.
record Avoid the redundant “new record.”
record setter
record-setting (adj.)
redboard 1) Old-time method of declaring a race official by posting a red flag or board
on the tote board. 2) A mildly derogatory phrase used to describe someone who
claims to have selected the winner, but always after the race.
red dun
red roan
re-elect, re-election
reevaluate
re-examine
refuse 1) When a horse will not break from the gate. 2) In jumping races, balking at a
jump.
refuse, decline A spokesman refused comment on whether Churchill Downs was
seeking to buy New York City Off-Track Betting Corp. The spokesman is under no
compulsion to provide comment. Rather, The spokesman declined to comment on the
recurring rumors. Refuse is used properly when public officials will not turn over
records that they are by law required to provide. The police chief refused to release
the arrest report.
regions Capitalize specific regions. Central Kentucky, Middle East, Mideast, Midwest,
Mid-Atlantic, Middle West, Upper Peninsula (Michigan), Southern Illinois, Southern
California, Texas Panhandle. Lowercase mere direction. Snow fell in western North
Dakota. Capitalize Antarctica, Arctic Circle, but not antarctic or arctic. See directions,
capitalization, hyphens.
Regular Registry APHA
Regumate
Reining, capitalized when referring to the sport of Reining by NRHA
reins Long straps, usually made of leather, that are connected to the bit and used by
the jockey to control the horse.
rein-back - Dressage Today
renvers - Dressage Today
regions/directions – In most cases, lowercase, but uppercase when describing a specific
region. But a person can have a Southern accent or be from the Midwest. The farm is located
south of Milwaukee. He is from the South.
Rep./Sen. – Sen. John Glenn, Rep. Fahey, Reps. Smith and Jones, etc., Do not spell out when
it appears before a name as a title, do not use congressman or congressperson. Do spell out
when used generically and lowercase.
reserve A minimum price, set by the consignor, for a horse in a public auction. The
horse did not reach its reserve.
reserve not attained A minimum price, or reserve, set by the consignor for a horse
in a public auction. On first reference, it should be spelled out; acronym RNA may
be used in second and subsequent references. See buy-back.
reserved 1) Held for a particular engagement or race. 2) Held off the pace.
respiratory system Organ system responsible for gas exchange from nostrils to lungs.
restaurateur Not restauranteur.
rest rooms
Reynolds Memorial USTA race
ribbons
Richter scale
ridden out A horse that finishes a race under mild urging, not as severe as driving.
Ride America APHA
ride short Using short stirrups.
Ridgeling, ridgling (rig) A term describing either a cryptorchid or monorchid. Spelling varied by
publication
right hand (n.)
right-handed (adj.)
right-hander (n.)
ringbone, ring bone Osteoarthritis of joints between the pastern bones (high ring bone) or just
above the coronet (low ring bone). Spelling varied by publication
Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus
ringman
ringmen
RNA Reserve not attained. A minimum price, or reserve, set by the consignor for a
horse in a public auction. On first reference, it should be spelled out.
roan A horse color in which the majority of the coat is a mixture of red and white hairs
or brown and white hairs. The mane, tail, and legs may be black, chestnut, or roan
unless white markings are present. Starting with foals of 1993, the color classifications
of gray and roan were combined as roan or gray. See gray.
roaring (laryngeal hemiplegia) A whistling sound made by a horse during inhalation
while exercising. The condition is caused by a partial or total paralysis of the
nerves controlling the muscles that elevate the arytenoid cartilages and thereby
open the larynx. In severe cases, a surgical procedure known as tie-back surgery
(laryngoplasty) is performed, in which a suture is inserted through the cartilage to
hold it out of the airway permanently. Paralysis almost exclusively occurs on the left
side and most frequently in horses over 16 hands tall.
rogue Ill-tempered horse.
rogue’s badge A term for blinkers.
Rollback (one word per NRHA)
Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital
Rookie of the Year – Capitalized when referring to this award as a title, APHA, AQHA
rough-stock
roundtable
roundtrip
round up (v.)
roundup (n.)
route A race of long distance; broadly, a race at a distance farther than 11⁄4 miles in
North America.
router Horse that performs well at longer distances.
rub-rags
rulebook, rule book style varies by publication
ruled off See suspend.
rundown
run down Abrasions of the heel.
run-down bandages, rundown bandages See bandages.
run for the roses If you insist on using this worn-out synonym for the Kentucky Derby
(G1), it is not capitalized. See sport of kings.
runner-up Plural, runners-up.
run-out bit A special type of bit to prevent a horse from bearing out (or in).
runner-up
S
SBOA/New Jersey Classic USTA race
sabino
saddle A Thoroughbred racing saddle is the lightest saddle used, weighing less than
two pounds.
Saddlebag
saddle bronc
saddlecloth A cotton cloth that goes under the saddle to absorb sweat. It usually
has the horse’s program number on it and often in major races, the horse’s
name.
saddle horn
saddle horse
saddlemaker, saddle maker
saddlemaking
saddle pad
saddleseat, saddle seat – style varies by publication
saddletree
sale topper (n.)
sale-topping (adj.)
sales Proper forms are sales pavilion, sales ticket, sales prep, sales catalog.
sales arena
sales ring
sale-topper
Salix The antibleeding medication known for decades among racing officials and
fans as Lasix now goes by the name Salix. The pharmaceutical company Intervet
changed the name in 2001 as part of an agreement with the drug’s former manufacturer,
Hoechst Roussel, who kept the Lasix name for the human version of the
drug. Its generic name is furosemide, and it was first used in veterinary practice
in 1967.
sand crack See heel crack.
saucer (fracture) Stress fracture of the front of the cannon bone; the fracture can be
straight or curved.
savage When a horse bites another horse or a person.
scale of weights Fixed weights to be carried by horses according to their age, sex,
race distance, and time of year. Refer to the American Racing Manual for the actual
scale of weights for age.
schooling Process of familiarizing a horse with the starting gate and teaching it racing
practices. A horse also may be schooled in the paddock. In steeplechasing, more
particularly to teach a horse to jump.
schooling list List of horses eligible to school at the starting gate before being permitted
to race.
schoolmaster - Dressage Today
schwung - Dressage Today
scintigraphy A technique in which a bone-seeking radioisotope, usually Technetium—
99M, is injected intravenously into a horse. A gamma camera is used to record uptake
of the nucleotide in the tissues. The bone-seeking radioisotope will be deposited in
bone areas that are metabolically active, such as stress fractures. The procedure,
often referred to as nuclear scintigraphy, is particularly useful for pinpointing an area
of inflammation in the musculoskeletal system.
scope
scores, reining – recorded as 70.5 by NRHA
scratch To be taken out of a race before a horse starts. Trainers usually scratch horses
due to adverse track conditions or a horse’s health. A veterinarian can scratch a horse
at any time.
screw fixation A procedure in which steel-alloy screws are surgically inserted to hold
together a fractured bone.
seasons Lowercase spring, summer, fall, winter, except when used as personifications.
Cruel Winter gripped us with his icy finger, but It was a cruel winter.
seat bone - Dressage Today
second call A secondary mount of a jockey in a race in case his primary mount is
scratched.
second dam Grandmother of a horse in direct female line. Also known as a grandam.
Second Level - Dressage Today
second-rate (adj.) All uses. A second-rate horse. The horse was second-rate.
second trainer
secretary-treasurer Always hyphenated. Capitalized as formal title before name.
selected Never use select yearling sales; always selected yearling sales.
self- Always hyphenated. self-assured, self-defense, self-government.
self-carriage - Dressage Today
elling race See claiming race.
sell out (v.)
sellout (n.)
semicolon Separates phrases containing commas to avoid confusion, separates statements
of contrast, and statements too closely related. The draperies, which were
ornate, displeased me; the walls, light blue, were pleasing. The party consisted of B. M.
Jordan; R. J. Kelly, his secretary; Mrs. Jordan; Martha Brown, her nurse; and three servants.
Without the semicolons, the latter sentence could be construed as listing nine
persons rather than seven
senior
sensitive laminae The area of the hoof that contains nerves and vessels.
sent off A wasteful phrase when used to express the closing betting odds on a horse.
The favorite was sent off at 9-to-10. Preferably, eliminate the phrase “sent off.”
The 9-to-10 favorite went immediately to the lead. Although “sent off” should be
avoided, the jargon phrases “sent to the post” and “sent postward” should never
be used.
September 11, 2001 Use on first reference to date of terrorist attacks. In quotes,
use 9/11 if the speaker refers to the day as “nine eleven.”
series – races held in legs, usually culminating in a final. A l;eg may be held in divisions. Hoof
Beats
sesamoid bones Two small bones (medial and lateral sesamoids) located above and
at the back of the fetlock joint. Four common fractures of the sesamoids are apical
(along the top of the bone), abaxial (the side of the sesamoid away from the ankle
joint), midbody (sesamoid broken in half), and basilar (through the bottom) fractures.
sesamoid (fracture) Fracture of the sesamoid bone. Fractures can be small chips or
involve the entire bone. Surgical repair is often done by arthroscopy.
sesamoiditis Inflammation of the sesamoid bones.
session topper (n.)
session-topping (adj.)
set A group of horses being exercised together.
set down 1) A suspension. The jockey was set down five days for careless riding. 2) When
a jockey assumes a lower crouch in the saddle while urging the horse to pick up
speed. The horse was set down for the drive to the wire.
set up (v.)
setup (n. and adj.)
sex allowance Female horses (fillies and mares), according to their age and the
time of year, are allowed to carry three to five pounds less when racing against
males.
shadow roll A bulky piece of material, usually sheepskin or synthetic fabric, that is
secured over the bridge of a horse’s nose to keep it from seeing shadows on the
track. Often used with horses that shy away from shadows on the track or jump
them.
shake up (v.)
shake-up (n. and adj.)
shakeout
shank Rope or strap attached to a halter or bridle by which a horse is led.
shareholder
shed row, shedrow Stable area; walking path within a barn, usually next to the outside wall.
Spelling varies by publication
sheets A handicapping tool assigning a numerical value to each race run by a horse
to enable different horses running at different racetracks to be objectively compared.
Two principal companies in field are operated by Len Ragozin, the originator,
and Jerry Brown.
sheikh Preferred over sheik. Capitalized only when used with a name. Sheikh Mohammed
bin Rashid al Maktoum. The sheikh attended the sale.
shod horse
shoe boil See capped elbow.
shoeing
shoemaker
shootout
short A horse in need of more workouts or racing to reach winning form.
short-barreled
short head British term for win margin of a nose.
short-listed - Dressage Today
short-lived (adj.)
short-term (adj.)
shoulder-in
shoulder-swing
show Third position at the finish.
show bet Wager on a horse to finish in the money; third or better.
show day
show horse
showgrounds, show grounds – style varies by publication
show jumping
showmanship at halter
show-ring, show ring – style varies by publication
shut off Unable to improve position due to being surrounded by other horses.
shut out (v.)
shutout (n.)
sickle hocks, sickle-hocked
sidebar
sidepass
sidepull
side rein - Dressage Today
side rolls
sidehweeler
signs or notices – set in small caps, no quotation marks or comma. The sign in the Coliseum
said NO DOGS ALLOWED. Paint Horse Journal
silks Jacket and cap worn by riders to the designate owner of the horse, or at some
smaller tracks, to designate post positions (e.g., red for post position one, white for
two, etc.).
Silky Sullivan A term sometimes used for a horse that makes a big run from far
back. Named for the horse Silky Sullivan, who once made up 41 lengths to win a
six-furlong race.
silver medallion – ApHC, lower case
silverplate
silversmith
silverware
simple (fracture) A fracture along a single line that does not penetrate the skin.
simulcast A simultaneous live television transmission of a race to other tracks, offtrack
betting facilities, or other outlets for the purpose of wagering.
single sjaft sulky
singletree
sire 1) The male parent. 2) To beget foals. According to cataloging standards and standard
usage, a stallion must sire a winner to be called a sire; he is a stallion until that
time.
sire and dam - Sired by or by <stallion name>, out of <dam name>
Sire Index (SI) Sire Index is an average of the Racing Index (RI) of all foals by a sire
that have started at least three times. For SI to be calculated, a sire must be represented
by a minimum of three crops and 25 starters lifetime. See Racing Index,
Broodmare Sire Index.
sires’ list Requires an apostrophe in the plural form. Also applies to owners’ list and
jockeys’ standings. Singular form of sire list is equally acceptable.
sire stakes
six-shooter
SkyVista
slab (fracture) A bone fracture in a joint that extends from one articular surface to
another. Most often seen in the third carpal bone of the knee.
slashes No punctuation mark has been more misused and abused than the slash. In
most cases, the slash can be replaced properly with a dash, as in spring-summer race
meeting. Use the slash sparingly if at all, and avoid its use in constructions such as
either/or or group/graded winner. He won group and graded stakes races in Ireland
and the United States.
slipped A breeding term meaning spontaneous abortion. This usage is very general;
preferably, the exact cause or nature of the aborted birth should be used.
sloppy (track) A racing strip that is saturated with water and has standing water visible.
slot machine Not interchangeable with video lottery terminal (VLT). See video lottery
terminal.
slow (track) A racing strip that is wet on both the surface and base.
small-time
snaffle bit See bit.
snip Small patch of white hairs on the nose or lips of a horse.
snake-bit
S.O.B.
socks Solid white markings extending from the top of the hoof to the ankles. Also called
stockings.
soft (track) Condition of a turf course with a large amount of moisture. Horses’ hooves
sink deeply into the surface.
soft-spoken
solid horse Archaic term for a contender.
sophomores Three-year-old horses. This is racing jargon and is best avoided.
sound
South
Southern Hemisphere The universal birthdays for Thoroughbreds bred in the Southern
Hemisphere are as follows: South America, July 1; South Africa, Australia, and
New Zealand, August 1.
sorrel
spavin See bog and bone spavin.
speed figure A handicapping tool in which a numerical value is assigned to a horse’s
performance. See Beyer number.
speedball
speed index SI
speedy cut Injury to the inside of the knee or hock caused by a strike from another foot.
spiral (fracture) Fracture that spirals around the bone.
spit box A generic term describing a barn or area to which horses are taken for postrace
testing. Tests may include saliva, urine, or blood.
spit the bit Or spit out the bit. A term referring to a tired horse that begins to run less
aggressively. Also used as a generic term for an exhausted horse.
splint 1) Either of the two small bones that lie along the sides of the cannon bone. 2)
A condition in which calcification occurs on the splint bone and causes a bump. This
condition can occur in response to a fracture or other irritation to the splint bone.
A common injury is a popped splint. See periostitis.
split(s) Fractional times in a race in increments of one-eighth of a mile.
sponsorship The names of sponsors of stakes races are not included in editorial material,
either in reporting the results in the stakes section or in reports on the race,
except:
1) When the race is sponsored by a member of the Thoroughbred industry, such
as the Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity (G2).
2) In cases where the race cannot be identified meaningfully without the sponsor’s
name or there is a race by a similar name if the sponsor’s name is taken off and
there would be confusion over which race is being mentioned. Maker’s Mark
Mile Stakes, Early Times Turf Classic Stakes.
3) Races run at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby (G1) week.
Commercial, nonindustry sponsors’ names are omitted because these sponsors
change frequently, and the name of the sponsor is generally irrelevant to readers.
If the sponsor’s name is pertinent to story, it can be included in the narrative
report of race. See race names.
sporthorse, sport horse – style varies by publication
sportpony, sport pony – style varies, sportpony used by ASPR; sport pony used by
Canadian Sport Horse Association
sport of kings If you insist on using this worn-out synonym, it is not capitalized. See
run for the roses.
sprawly
sprint Short race, less than one mile.
spurmaker
squaregaited, squaregaiter
stable companion
stableboy
stable hand
stablemate
stakes Never stake. A race for which the owner usually must pay a fee to run a horse.
The fees can be for nominating, maintaining eligibility, entering, and starting; the
track adds additional money to make up the total purse. Some stakes races are by
invitation and require no payment or fee.
stakes-placed Finished second or third in a stakes race.
stakes horse A horse whose level of competition includes mostly stakes races.
stakes race
stakes winner
stallion A male horse used for breeding. See sire.
stallion season The right to breed one mare to a specific stallion during one breeding
season.
stallion share A lifetime right to breed one mare to a specific stallion each breeding
season. Although generally limited to one mare per season per share, larger stallion
books have in some cases allowed share owners to breed more than one mare
each year. Stallion share owners are usually assessed a proportionate share of expenses
and will also share in any bonuses.
stall-walker, stall-walking stall walker Horse that moves about its stall constantly and frets
rather than resting. (Hyphen use varies by publication)
standing bandages See bandage.
standout (n. and adj.)
Statehouse – Capitalize only when referring to a specific statehouse.
star 1) Any of a number of white markings on the forehead. (The forehead is defined
as being above an imaginary line connecting the tops of the eyes.) 2) A type of credit
a horse receives from the racing secretary if it is excluded from an over-filled race,
giving it priority in entering future races.
starter 1) An official responsible for ensuring a fair start to the race. The starter
supervises the loading of horses into the starting gate by assistant starters who
collectively are known as a gate crew. The starter also has control of the opening
the gate. 2) A horse that is in the starting gate when the race begins, whether he
runs or not.
starter race An allowance or handicap race restricted to horses that have started for
a specific claiming price or less.
starter’s car
starting gate Partitioned mechanical device having stalls in which the horses are confined
until the starter releases the stalls’ confined front doors to begin the race.
states – AP Style below
Ala. (AL.)
Alaska (AK)
Ariz. (AZ)
Ark. (AR)
Calif. (CA)
Colo. (CO)
Conn. (CT)
Del. (DE)
Fla. (FL)
Ga. (GA)
Hawaii (HI)
Idaho (ID)
Ill. (IL)
Ind. (IN)
Iowa (IA)
Kan. (KS)
Ky. (KY)
La. (LA)
Md. (MD)
Maine (ME)
Mass. (MA)
Mich. (MI)
Minn. (MN)
Miss. (MS)
Mo. (MO)
Mont. (MT)
Neb. (NE)
Nev. (NV)
N.H. (NH)
N.J. (NJ)
N.M. (NM)
N.Y. (NY)
N.C. (NC)
N.D. (ND)
Ohio (OH)
Okla. (OK)
Ore. (OR)
Pa. (PA)
R.I. (RI)
S.C. (SC)
S.D. (SD)
Tenn. (TN)
Texas (TX)
Utah (UT)
Vt. (VT)
Va. (VA)
Wash. (WA)
W. Va. (WV)
Wis. (WI)
Wyo. (WY)
state names Always spelled out in editorial copy; abbreviated in stakes shells denoting
place where bred. Use New York state when necessary to distinguish from New
York City; use Washington state when necessary to distinguish the state from the
District of Columbia. State is capitalized when used in a nickname. Pelican State,
Bluegrass State, Golden State, Lone Star State, Keystone State.
state-bred
statewide
stationary/stationery – Stationary means to be at a standstill; stationery is what we write on.
stayer A horse that can race long distances successfully.
steadied A horse being taken in hand by its rider, usually because of being in close
quarters.
steppingstone (n.)
step up A horse moving up in class to meet better competition.
steward Official of the race meeting responsible for enforcing the rules of racing. Treated
as a title before a name and capitalized. Steward Walter Blum.
steeplechase A race in which horses are required to jump a series of obstacles on the
course. Steeplechase races in the United States are run over National Fences (artificial
brush fences), natural brush fences, and timber fences. In England and Ireland,
jump races are over hurdles and steeplechase fences.
steer roper
step-by-step
Stewart Fraser Memorial USTA race
stick A jockey’s whip.
sticker See calk.
stifle The large joint above the hock is made up by the femur, patella, and tibia.
stirrups Metal D-shaped rings into which a jockey places his or her feet. They can be
raised or lowered by shortening or lengthening the leather straps that connect the
stirrups to the saddle. Also known as irons.
stock horse
stock in trade
stock seat – hyphenate only when used as a compound modifier, stock-seat equitation.
stockings Solid white markings extending from the top of the hoof to the knee or hock.
Also called socks.
stone English system of weights is based on stones. A stone is equal to 14 pounds;
thus, 126 pounds is nine stone.
stone dust
stop To get a mare in foal.
stress (fracture) A fracture produced by the stress created by the repetitive stress
placed on a bone, usually in athletic training. Usually seen in the front of the cannon
bone as a severe form of bucked shins. Also seen in the tibia and causes a hard-todiagnose
hind-limb lameness.
(home) stretch Final straight; portion of the racetrack from the end of the final turn
to the finish line.
stretch call Position of horses at the eighth pole, or one-eighth mile from the finish.
stretch runner (n.) Horse that runs fastest nearing the finish of a race.
stretch-running (adj.)
stretch turn Bend of track into the final straightaway.
stride Manner of going. Also, distance covered between successive imprints of the
same hoof.
stripe A white marking running down a horse’s face, starting under an imaginary line
connecting the tops of the eyes.
stud 1) Male horse used for breeding. 2) A breeding farm.
stud book Registry and genealogical record of Thoroughbreds, maintained by the
Jockey Club of the country in question. Use lowercase when describing a generic
stud book. See American Stud Book.
style usage See contractions, cutlines, fractions, headings, italics, money, percent,
photo credit, plurals and possessives, prefixes and suffixes, profanity,
subheads, tense, which and that, who and whom.
subcommittee – One word. Lowercase unless part of an official title.
subfertile
subhead Appears under headlines with first word capitalized and no ending period.
subscription Fee paid by owner to nominate a horse for a stakes race or to maintain
eligibility for a stakes race.
substitute race Alternate race used on overnight sheets to replace a regularly scheduled
race that does not fill or is canceled.
suckling A foal in its first year of life, while it is still nursing.
suffixes See prefixes.
sulk When a horse refuses to extend itself.
sulkymaker
summertime
superhorse
superficial flexor tendon Present in all four legs, but injuries most commonly affect
the front legs. Located on the back (posterior) of the front leg between the knee
and the foot and between the hock and the foot in the rear leg. Functions are to flex
the digit (pastern) and knee (carpus), to extend the elbow on the front leg, and to
extend the hock on the rear leg. Functions in tandem with the deep flexor tendon.
superior check ligament Fibrous band of tissue that originates above the knee and
attaches to the superficial flexor tendon. Primary function is support of this tendon.
Accessory ligament of the superficial flexor tendon.
super-sire
superstart
super-trotter
superior achievement certificate – ApHC, lower case except if abbreviated S.A.C.
superior event award, ApHC, lower case
Superior, APHA, AQHA capitalize
suspensory ligament Originates at the back of the knee (front leg) and the back of
the top part of the cannon bone (hind leg), attaching to the sesamoid bones. The
lower portion of the ligament attaches the lower part of the sesamoid bones to the
pastern bones. Its function is to support the fetlock. The lower ligaments that attach
the sesamoid bone to the pastern bones are the distal sesamoidean ligaments.
swayback Horse with a prominent concave shape of the backbone, usually just behind
the withers (saddle area). Scoliosis.
sweepstakes
swipe Archaic term for a groom.
synchronous diaphragmatic flutter A contraction of the diaphragm in synchrony
with the heartbeat after strenuous exercise. Affected horses have a noticeable twitch
or spasm in the flank area that may cause an audible sound, hence the term thumps.
Most commonly seen in electrolyte-depleted or exhausted horses. The condition
resolves spontaneously with rest.
synovial fluid Lubricating fluid contained within a joint, tendon sheath, or bursa.
synovial joint A movable joint that consists of articulating bone ends covered by articular
cartilage held together with a joint capsule and ligaments and containing synovial
fluid in the joint cavity.
synovial sheath The inner lining of a tendon sheath that produces synovial fluid. Allows
ease of motion for the tendons as they cross joints.
synovitis Inflammation of a synovial structure, typically a synovial sheath.
T
TCSA, Transported Cooled Semen Available
TRA, Thoroughbred Racing Associations
TVG, Television Games Network
T-shirt
tack (n.) 1) Rider’s racing equipment. Also applied to stable gear. (v.) 2) A jockey and
equipment. He tacks 112 pounds.
tack room, tackroom – varies
tackmaker
tail-male (-female) A horse’s ancestry from sire to grandsire to great-grandsire, etc.,
tracing back to one of the three foundation sires (or along the female line from dam
to grandam to great-grandam, etc., back to the original foundation mares.
Tagamet Trade name for the drug cimetidine, a medication used to treat ulcers.
tail off 1) Describes a fit horse losing its competitive edge. 2) When a horse slows
down and loses contact with the field in a race.
tail wind
take out (v.)
takeout (n. and adj.) Commission deducted from mutuel pools that is shared by the
track, horsemen (in the form of purses), and local and state governing bodies in the
form of tax. Also called take.
taken up A horse pulled up sharply by its rider due to being in close quarters.
takeoff- one word when used as a noun
tailgate
tape See barrier.
tape-delay
Tattersalls Pace USTA race
tax-deductible
tattoo A permanent, indelible mark on the inside of the upper lip used to identify the
horse.
teaser A male horse used at breeding farms to determine whether a mare is ready to
receive a stallion.
telephone numbers – parentheses around the area code.
teletheater Special facility for showing simulcast races.
teletimer Electronic means to time races, including fractional times at various points
of call. The lead horse trips an electronic beam of light and the clockings are transmitted
instantly to the tote board.
television networks National networks are well known and identified in all references
by their abbreviations with the exception of the Fox network. The major national
networks are ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox. The national networks are not stations and
therefore do not carry the designation –TV. Cable networks follow the same rules.
He was a broadcaster for the ESPN cable network before making the jump to NBC.
Local television and radio stations carry the appropriate identifying suffix, such as
WHAS-TV, WQXR-FM, and WFIL-AM.
television Use on first reference.
Tempi changes
tendinitis Inflammation of a tendon. Frequently misspelled as tendonitis.
tendon Cords of strong, white (collagen) elastic fibers that connect a muscle to a bone
or other structure and transmit the forces generated by muscular contraction to the
bones.
tenses (sequence of) A verb in a subordinate clause is adjusted to agree with the
tense of the main clause. Incorrect: He said he will complete his rehabilitation by
Derby day. Correct: He said he would complete his rehabilitation by Derby day.
test-bred, test-breeding
Tepee
Texas Panhandle
thanks to Thanks to should be used very, very infrequently and only in situations
where there is something to be thankful about.
that and which Use that and which for inanimate objects and animals without a name.
When an essential or nonessential clause refers to a human being or animal with a
name, the clause should be introduced by who or whom. Do not use commas if the
clause is essential to the meaning; use them if it is not. See essential clauses,
nonessential clauses.
the For style rules when the word the is used preceding the name of an organization
and when it can be omitted, see articles, organizations.
the Curragh Racecourse in Ireland.
the first seven-eighths of a mile
the last eighth of a mile
the last half-mile
the last half
the eight-hole
The Thoroughbred Center Training center located on Paris Pike near Lexington.
there A sentence containing the phrase there is or there are wastes two words. Rewrite
to eliminate a wasteful locution.
thermography Diagnostic technique using instrumentation that measures temperature
differences. Records the surface temperature of a horse. Unusually hot or cold
areas may be indicative of some underlying pathology (deviation from the normal).
Third Level - Dressage Today
third phalanx See coffin bone.
Thoroughbred – style varies by publication, either JC for Jockey Club, or TB
Thoroughbred All modern Thoroughbreds track in male line to one of the three founding
sires—the Darley Arabian, Byerly Turk, and Godolphin Barb. The horse also
must have satisfied the rules and requirements of the Jockey Club for inclusion in
the American Stud Book, or it is registered in a foreign stud book recognized by the
Jockey Club and the International Stud Book Committee. The word Thoroughbred
is capitalized in all uses as a breed of horses.
Thoroughbred Racing Associations An industry group founded in 1942 and comprising
many racetracks in North America. Should always be Associations, not Association.
Abbreviated TRA on second reference.
Thoroughbred Record, The Established 1875. Last issue published May 1990. Name is
italicized in editorial reference.
THOROUGHBRED TIMES Small caps in editorial. Founded in 1985. Never use “the” preceding
its name. Never italicized.
THOROUGHBRED TIMES Buyer’s Guide
THOROUGHBRED TIMES TODAY
thoroughpin Swelling of the synovial sheath of the deep flexor tendon above the hock.
three-in-one
three-quarter pole
three-quarter brother, three-quarter sister If one horse is by a particular stallion
out of a particular mare, his three-quarter sibling would be either: A) by a son of his
sire out of the same dam; or B) by the same stallion out of a daughter of his dam.
For example, a three-quarter brother to A.P. Indy (Seattle Slew—Weekend Surprise)
would be by a son of Seattle Slew and out of Weekend Surprise OR by Seattle Slew
and out of a daughter of Weekend Surprise.
throatlatch
through, not thru
thumbs-up
thumps See synchronous diaphragmatic flutter.
tie-back surgery A procedure (laryngoplasty) used to suture the arytenoid cartilage
out of the airway. See roaring.
tie-down
tie up (v.)
tie-up (n. and adj.)
tied-up
tight Vernacular for fit and ready to race.
tightener 1) A race used to give a horse a level of fitness that cannot be obtained through
morning exercise alone. 2) A leg brace.
timber topper Jumper or steeplechase horse. More properly, horses jumping over
timber fences. The phrase is vaguely derogatory, so it should be avoided.
time of day Use Arabic numerals for all hours of the day. 3 p.m., 5:30 a.m. Do not use
a colon and minutes with exact hours. In the above example, 3 p.m. is the correct
usage rather than 3:00 p.m. Avoid redundancies such as 12 noon, 12 midnight, 3 p.m.
in the afternoon and 5:30 a.m. in the morning. However, 3 o’clock in the afternoon
and 5:30 in the morning are acceptable but waste space. When necessary, as in calendar
or television listings, time zones are abbreviated without periods. The Pacific
Classic Stakes (G1) television coverage will begin at 5 p.m. EDT. See EDT, EST.
times Fractional and final race times are reported in hundredths of a second. For races
before 1991, when Equibase began compiling times in hundreds, fifths of a second
are used. Mr. Prospector set a six-furlong track record of 1:074⁄5 at Gulfstream Park in
1973. Artax equaled that mark in the 1999 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), completing six
furlongs in 1:07.89.
time frame
time slot
time trial
titles Italicize titles of books, magazines, newspapers (but not the city or place), plays,
movies, long musical compositions, long poems, and names of trains, planes, and
ships. See abbreviations. See quotation marks for rules for short stories, short
essays, songs, television programs, etc.
titles (corporate) Churchill Downs Senior Vice President and General Counsel Alexander
Waldrop ...” Long initial cap titles such as the above should be avoided. The preferred
form is Alexander Waldrop, Churchill Downs’s senior vice president and general
counsel, ... Titles that modify the name (preceding it, as in the first example),
are capitalized. Churchill Downs Inc. President Thomas Meeker ... Titles used in apposition
(enclosed in commas and following the name) are not capitalized. D. G. Van
Clief, the NTRA’s acting chief executive officer, …
to a T
tobiano
toe crack A crack near the front of the hoof.
toe-in A conformation flaw in which the front of the foot angles inward and looks pigeontoed,
often causing the leg to swing outward during locomotion (paddling).
toe-out A conformation flaw in which the front of the foot faces out, often causing the
leg to swing inward during locomotion (winging).
toe weight
tongue-tie, tongue tie Strip of cloth or cloth-like material used to stabilize a horse’s tongue to
prevent it from choking down in a race or workout or to keep the tongue from sliding up over
the bit, rendering the horse uncontrollable. Also known as a tongue strap.
topflight
top hat
topline, top line 1) A Thoroughbred’s breeding on its sire’s side. 2) The visual line presented
by the horse’s back.
topnotch
top weight See high weight.
topweight Top weight, topweighted, co-topweight, co-topweighted. See highweight.
Top 10 – Capitalized when show standings refer to a specific class, lowercase when generic
placings Paint Horse Journal
Top 20 Capitalized when show standings refer to a specific class, lowercase when generic
placings Paint Horse Journal
torsion A twist in the intestine.
totalizator American; totalisator, British. An automated pari-mutuel system that dispenses and
records betting tickets, calculates and displays odds and payoffs, and
provides the mechanism for cashing winning tickets. Often shortened to tote.
tote board Structure in the racetrack infield where up-to-the-minute odds and other
information are listed. It may also show the amounts wagered in each mutuel pool as well
as information such as jockey and equipment changes. Also known as the board.
totaled, totaling
tout Person who professes to have, and sells, advance information on a race. Also used
as a verb meaning to sell or advertise. He’s touting the four horse.
tovero
toward Not towards.
toxemia Poisoning sometimes caused by the absorption of bacterial products (endotoxins)
formed at a local source of infection.
track bias A racing surface that favors a particular running style or position. For example, a
track bias can favor either front-runners or closers or horses running on the
inside or outside.
track condition Physical state of the racetrack surface. See fast; good; muddy; sloppy;
frozen; hard; firm; soft; yielding; heavy.
tracks When listing track names, use complete name on first reference; shortened
version of name may be used thereafter. For a list of correct first references for
all racetrack names, see Appendix A.
trackman
track record (n.) Hyphenated as adjective. The track-record setter.
TrackPower
trainer-driver
training scale
Trakehner
transported cooled/frozen semen
trapped epiglottis See entrapped epiglottis.
traveler, traveling, traveled
travers
trial In Thoroughbred racing, a preparatory race created in tandem with a subsequent,
more important stakes race to be run a few days or weeks later. The Derby Trial
Stakes (G3) is held at Churchill Downs the week before the Kentucky Derby (G1). A
few racetracks, primarily in the Southwest, hold trials to determine the field for a
stakes race. Depending on the stakes, the horses that qualify to the final must have
finished first, second, or third in the trials. In Europe, a trial can refer to a vigorous
morning workout with other horses.
trifecta A wager in which the first three finishers must be selected in exact order.
Called a triactor in Canada and a triple in some parts of the U.S.
trifecta box A trifecta wager in which all possible combinations using a given number
of horses are bet upon.
trip An individual horse’s race, with specific reference to the difficulty (or lack of difficulty) the
horse had during competition, such as whether the horse was repeatedly
blocked or had an unobstructed run.
triple See trifecta.
Triple Crown Used generically to denote a series of three important races, but is always
capitalized when referring to historical races for three-year-olds. In the United States,
the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes make up the Triple
Crown. In England, the Two Thousand Guineas, Epsom Derby, and St. Leger Stakes.
In Canada, the Queen’s Plate, Prince of Wales Stakes, and Breeders’ Stakes.
Triple Tiara Series conducted by the New York Racing Association for three-year-old
fillies. Consists of the Mother Goose Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park, the Coaching
Club American Oaks (G1) at Belmont Park, and the Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga
Race Course.
trot
Trotting Triple Crown
truckload
T-shirt
tubing Inserting a nasogastric tube through a horse’s nostril into its stomach for the
purpose of providing oral medication.
Turf Capitalized when referring to entire racing scene. He is a pillar of the Turf. The
Turf world watched his exploits.
turf Refers to grass. The race was on turf (not the turf).
turn down(s) Rear shoe that is turned down—from a half-inch to one inch at the ends
to provide better traction on an off-track. Illegal in most jurisdictions.
Tucson City in Arizona.
turnback
turn out, turned out, turning out
turnout fee
turnout paddock
turnout time
twitch A restraining device usually consisting of a stick with a loop of rope or chain at
one end, which is placed around a horse’s upper lip and twisted, releasing endorphins
that relax a horse and curb its fractiousness while it is being handled.
Typey
tying up (acute rhabdomyolysis) A form of muscle cramps that ranges in severity
from mild stiffness to a life-threatening disease. A generalized condition of musclefiber
breakdown usually associated with exercise. The cause of the muscle-fiber
breakdown is uncertain. Signs include sweating, reluctance to move, stiffness, and
general distress.
U
UDRA, Universal Driver Rating System USTA
UPS
USA
USTA, United States Trotting Association
USTA Annual Meeting
USTA Board of Directors
USTA Board
USTA Owners/Breeders Committee
USTA Drive/Trainer Committee
U-turn
Uberstreichen - Dressage Today
uh-oh
ultrasound 1) Diagnostic ultrasound: A technique that uses ultrasonic waves to image
internal structures. 2) Therapeutic ultrasound: A therapy to create heat and stimulate
healing.
under A horse ridden by a jockey is preferred over a horse under a jockey. The horse
was ridden by Pat Day. Not, The horse was under Pat Day.
underbidder
underlay A horse at shorter odds than seem warranted by its past performances
undertrain
under way Two words in virtually all uses. The project is under way. The naval maneuvers are
under way. One word only when used as an adjective before a noun in a nautical sense an
underway flotilla.
under wraps Horse under stout restraint in a race or workout to keep it from pulling
away from the competition by too large a margin.
unheard-of
United Kingdom Refers to Great Britain and Northern Ireland, not England. Britain
is acceptable for Great Britain.
units of measurement See numbers.
University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program
University of Kentucky’s Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center
untried 1) Not raced or tested for speed. 2) A stallion that has not been bred.
unwind Gradually withdrawing a horse from intensive training.
up and up, on the
upper stretch
upward Not upwards.
up-to-the-minute
upper level dressage - Dressage Today
U.S. Abbreviation for United States used in second and subsequent references; must
be spelled out on first reference. No space between the first period and the S.
United States Equestrian Federation – can be referred to on second reference as USEF or the
Federation.
U.S. League World Cup Dressage Final
USDF – United States Dressage Federation
V
VEE, Venezuelan Equine Encephalomyelitis
VRs – Veterinary Regulations (NRHA)
VS, vesicular stomatitis
valet A person employed by a racing association to clean and care for a jockey’s tack
and other riding equipment.
vendue A public sale or auction. This term has been falling out of use, and deservedly
so. No one ever calls a sale a vendue in conversation. Use sale or auction in its
place.
Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis A highly contagious disease affecting the
central nervous system that can cause illness or death in horses and humans. Abbreviated
VEE on second reference.
ventral Down; toward the belly.
versus, vs. use varies by publication
versatility award, APHA
versatility championship – ApHC, not capitalized
vet (v.) To conduct a veterinary examination. The horse was vetted prior to the sale.
veterinarian (n.) Always used in full; never shortened to vet, except as a verb as noted
above and in direct quotes.
veterinarian (commission or board) The commission (or board) veterinarian, sometimes
referred to as the state veterinarian, usually is appointed by the state racing
commission. This person serves as professional adviser and consultant to the state
racing commission on veterinary matters, including all regulatory aspects of the
application and practice of veterinary medicine at the track.
veterinarian (association) Sometimes referred to as the track veterinarian, this person
is employed by the racing association and serves as a professional adviser and
consultant to the racing association and its operational staff at the track.
veterinarian (practicing) Private practitioner employed by owners and trainers on
an individual case or contract basis.
vice Not hyphenated. vice chairman, vice president, vice principal, vice secretary.
vice president Capitalized when preceding name as formal title.
video endoscope See endoscope.
video lottery terminal Use VLT on second reference. Not interchangeable with slot
machine. A VLT is a video-based version of a traditional slot machine. Winnings
from a VLT are not dispensed from the terminal, but rather a voucher for the winnings
is printed by the terminal, which the player is required to claim.
videotape (n. and v.)
V.M.D. Veterinary medical doctor. Degree comes from the University of Pennsylvania.
VISA
vocal folds The membranes attached to the arytenoid cartilages in the larynx. Vibration
produces vocalization.
voice mail (n.) voice-mail (adj.)
volte - Dressage Today
vote-getter
votes Use hyphens. The breeders’ association president was turned out of office in a 48-
2 vote.
W
WPRA, Women’s Professional Rodeo Association
wagon boss
wagonmaster
walkover A race in which only one horse competes.
Walmart
wannabe
warhorse
warmblood
warm-up miles
warm-up ring
wash rack, washrack varies
washed out A horse that becomes so nervous that it sweats profusely. Also known as
washy or lathered (up).
Washington Use as state of Washington or Washington state; and Washington, D.C.,
or District of Columbia when the context requires distinction between the state and
federal district.
Washington, D.C.
waterproof
watertight
weanling A foal less than one year old that has been separated from its dam.
weaving
Web Capitalized and appropriate second reference for World Wide Web. See Internet.
Web-cast
web site, website One word, with lowercase W. See World Wide Web. - capitalization varies by
publication
WEG – World Equestrian Games
weekend
weeklong
weight bearing (unless adjective)
weigh in (out) The certification, by the clerk of scales, of a rider’s weight before (after)
a race. A jockey weighs in fully dressed with all equipment except for his or her helmet,
whip, and (in many jurisdictions) flak jacket.
weight for age (n.) An allowance condition in which each entrant is assigned a weight
according to its age. Females usually receive a sex allowance as well. (Compare with
a handicap race.) The maiden race was weight for age.
weight-for-age (adj.) He ran in a weight-for-age race.
well balanced
well-being
well-made
West
West Nile virus
Western
western Canada
wheel Betting all possible combinations in an exotic wager using at least one horse as
the key. See part wheel.
wheel disc
whether or not “Whether” by itself conveys the meaning; “or not” is superfluous.
which and that Use that and which for inanimate objects and animals without a name.
When an essential clause or nonessential clause refers to a human being or animal
with a name, it should be introduced by who or whom. Which introduces nonessen tial clauses,
which are enclosed in commas. That introduces essential clauses, which
are not set off by commas. See essential clauses, nonessential clauses.
whipless racing
white A horse color, extremely rare, in which all the hairs are white. The horse’s eyes
are brown, not pink, as would be the case for an albino.
white line When looking at the sole of the foot, the thin area between the insensitive
outer hoof wall (insensitive laminae) and the inner sensitive laminae.
who and whom Use who and whom for references to human beings and horses with
a name. Use that and which for inanimate objects and animals without a name. See
which and that, essential clauses, nonessential clauses.
Who do you trust? or Whom do you trust? The choice of who or whom depends
upon its use in the clause, whether as a subject or object. The easiest way to figure
out its use is to invert the structure of the sentence or phrase and substitute he (she)
or him (her). In this case, him or her would be the correct word; thus the objectivecase
pronoun would be whom. A sentence in which who is the subject is the following
John, who grew up next to me, remains one of my best friends.
wide A commonly used word in race reports to describe the number of horse widths
off the rail. It should be hyphenated only when used as an adjectival construction.
He moved three wide on the turn. He made a three-wide move into the stretch.
Win – means first place, not second, third, fourth, etc. If you don’t win, you place or finish.
wind chill
wind gall See arthritis.
wind puff See arthritis.
wind sucker See cribber.
Winnercomm Formerly Winner Communications, based in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
winner’s circle Not winners’ circle.
wire The finish line of a race.
romped wire-to-wire
-wise The television meteorologist’s favorite is weather-wise. It is journalistic jargon
at its worst; do not use weather-wise or any other construction ending in –wise. In
terms of is an acceptable substitute, but consider rewriting the sentence before using
that somewhat stilted phrase.
withers Area above the shoulder, where the neck meets the back.
wobbler syndrome Neurological disease clinically associated with general lack of
coordination and muscle weakness. Can be caused by an injury to the spinal cord
in the area of the cervical (neck) vertebrae or is associated with malformation of the
cervical vertebrae. Dr. Barrie Grant differentiates between wobbler syndrome and
wobbler disease. Wobbler syndrome is used to describe perisistent ataxia (lack of
coordination) for any number of reasons, such as EPM, tumors, and trauma. Wobbler
disease is ataxia that results from compression of the spinal cord. Seattle Slew
has wobbler disease.
wolf teeth
Women’s not womens
woolly
work (v.) A verb that describes a fast gallop at a predetermined distance. Its use as a
noun—Baffert planned to give him a six-furlong work on Tuesday—is slang and should
not be used in narrative. Rather, Baffert planned to give him a six-furlong workout on
Tuesday. Work as a noun is acceptable in a direct quotation “I’ll give him a six-furlong
work tomorrow,” Baffert said.
workhorse
workday
workers’ compensation Preferred over workmen’s compensation except when quoting
a speaker. In most jurisdictions, the state-administered insurance program for
individuals injured on the job is workers’ compensation.
work-off
workout (n.)
work out (v.)
world-beater
World Champion, World champion, Reserve World Champion, reserve World champion – use
varies by publication. Paint Horse Journal capitalizes when referring to a specific title and
lowercase for general reference. ApHC, capitalizes the event not the title
world-class
World Cup - Dressage Today
World Driving Championship
World Series Racing Championship A globe-spanning series of races inaugurated
in 1999. For 2004, series comprises 13 races in ten nations. Website is: www.
racingseries.com.
World Trotting Derby Filly Division USTA race
world record (n.) He set a world record.
world-record (adj.) He was a world-record setter.
worldwide
World Wide Paint Congress
World Wide Web Capitalized and spelled out in first reference. See Internet.
World Wide Web address Italicized and full reference first time used: www.
thoroughbredtimes.com. Italics second reference and abbreviated, jockeyclub.com. If
address must be divided, make sure unnecessary (and incorrect) hyphens are not
included.
wrongdoing
X
X – referring to type of jump, or letter in dressage court – upper case
Xeroradiography A costly type of x-ray procedure using specially sensitized screens
that give higher resolution on the edges of bone and better visualization of soft tissue
structures.
X-ray (n., v., or adj.)
Y
Y2K the computer problem, not shorthand for the year
year-end (adj.)
yearling A horse in its second calendar year of life, beginning January 1 of the year
following its birth for horses born in the Northern Hemisphere. See birthdays,
yearlong
year-round
years Are used in full on first reference and may be abbreviated thereafter. May 21,
1996; May of ’96; 1985, then ’85.
yielding Condition of a turf course with considerable moisture. Horses’ feet sink into
it noticeably.
Youbet.com Inc. Use Youbet.com on second reference.
your Honor
Z
Zantac Trade name for the drug ranitidine, a medication used to treat ulcers.
Zigzag
Zimecterin
Zone-O-Rama AHPA
Zones, APHA
Zone 1 – Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington
Zone 2 – Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah
Zone 3 – Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming
Zone 4 – New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas
Zone 5 – Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin
Zone 6 – Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee
Zone 7 – Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia
and West Virginia
Zone 8 – Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio
Zone 9 – Carribbean Island, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina
Zone 10 – Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, North West Territories,
Saskatchewan and Yukon
Zone 11 – New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and
Quebec
Zone 12 – All European countries
Zone 13 – All South American countries and Mexico
Zone 1 – Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand
American Horse Publications developed the AHP Style Guide to be a resource for editors and
writers, but it was not designed to set industry standards. The guide should be used as a
reference tool only. Publications may utilize this guide to fit their needs or to assist in
developing their own style guides.
The AHP Style Guide is a work in process and will be updated yearly. If you have any
additions, please forward to Connie Lechleitner at qtrhorse@oqha.com.